ITANAGAR, Dec 21: The BRO Labourers Union North East Region (BROLUNER) has appealed to the prime minister to introduce a concrete policy for the casual paid labourers (CPL) under the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
The union’s demands include implementation of the labour laws, medical leave, the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, the Social Security Act (EPF/ESI/Insurance); grant of 10 days’ casual leave in a year; ‘grant of 50% sanction strength of CPLs for permanent jobs with annual continuation system’; construction of permanent workers’ camps and transit camps; and provision of adequate medical facilities.
BROLUNER president Leki Tsering also called for recognition of the union by the defence ministry.
The union has also written to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, seeking her intervention in getting better facilities for workers.
“The BRO is still being guided by the notification issued in 1962, which is not practical anymore,” the union said, and called for immediate amendment of the notification.
It requested Mahajan to raise the issue for discussion in the Lok Sabha “and protect the constitutional laws and save the dignity of lakhs of casual paid labourers under the BRO.”
“These construction workers are the backbone of the economy as they create the infrastructure necessary for industrial growth. But these workers, who are creating the base of the new economy, live in a time warp, trapped in low skilled, low paid, insecure working conditions,” the union said.
