Leaflet of Bhiwandi Jan Sangharsh Samiti on May Day
Long live May Day!
Workers of the world unite!!
Join the May Day Rally!
Worker friends,
You must be aware that Bhiwandi is at the number one position in the powerloom sector in Maharashtra. Not only this, Bhiwandi has now become a warehousing hub, which is India’s leading warehousing centre (WHC). The goods that are ordered from house to house in western India, including in Maharashtra, through online e-commerce are sent from these warehouses. Apart from this, Bhiwandi has a large number of workers in the dyeing industry, pearl, embroidery, and beedi sector. But the surprising thing is that far from implementing the labour law for the workers of Bhiwandi, these workers are deprived of drinking water, cleanliness, urinals, toilets, which are basic essential services to live like humans. Hospital and primary health centre services for workers and general public are negligible. There is also an insufficient number of maternity centres for pregnant women workers and common families. Overall, whatever government health service is available, there is a lot of shortage of doctors, nurses, sweepers and medical equipment and resources (Medical Equipment). Apart from this, the public rationing system for workers’ families and education system for the children of working people are also poor.
In this way, we are seeing that workers of Bhiwandi face dual problems. First: deprivation of basic, much-needed civic services. Second: workers’ exploitation and violation of labour laws. After the implementation of the four labour codes brought by the Modi government, the unorganized workers of areas like Bhiwandi will be completely thrown out of the ambit of the labour laws. Today’s unorganized workers at least have the right to raise their legal voice. But after the implementation of these four labour codes, they will be deprived of their legal rights.
Let us take inspiration by remembering the martyrdom day (1st May 1886) of the workers of Chicago city of America, celebrate the day and participate in the abovementioned public meeting and rally for the dual struggle for civil and labour rights!
Demands:-
- All workers of Bhiwandi should be registered and their record should be kept.
- Withdraw anti-labour black laws like ESMA.
- All the workers should be brought under provident fund (PF)/ESIC/government health services.
- Arrangements should be made for clean drinking water, urinals, toilets and drainage of dirty water and cleaning of garbage for the workers of Bhiwandi in all powerloom factories and for the general public.
- Four labour codes should be withdrawn.
- Electricity Amendment Bill should be withdrawn.
- Powerloom Workers Welfare Board should be established at Maharashtra level.
Inquilab Zindabad!
Bhiwandi Jan Sangharsh Samiti
A platform of 19 mass organizations