Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

International Day of Migrant Labour observed

— Photo: S. Thanthoni

WORKER SOLIDARITY: Tamil Nadu AITUC Construction Workers Union president N. Periyasamy makes a point at a seminar on migrant labour in Chennai on Friday. (From left) Samooha Vignanam editor Devaperinban, General Secretary of the Union K. Ravi and Karnataka High Court advocate S. Balan are in the picture.

CHENNAI: An increase in the contracting of labour, primarily because of globalisation, is leading to a rise in the number of migrant workers with few or no rights, speakers at a seminar said here on Friday.

The legal, political and social issues surrounding migrant labour were discussed at the meet organised by the Tamil Nadu AITUC Construction Workers Association to mark the International Day of Migrant Labour.

Madras High Court advocate N.G.R. Prasad said that no cases relating to the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979, had reached the court yet, though violations abound. The Act provides migrant labour with journey allowance, one month’s salary and other incentives. The Act makes employers responsible for paying wages to migrant labourers, if the contractor does not give wages.

S.S. Thiagarajan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu AITUC Workers Association, pointed out that agricultural labour was particularly dependent on jobs in other areas. Tension could be generated between local and migrant labour, because the latter was often willing to work for far lower wages than the former.

Tamil Nadu AITUC Construction Workers Association president N. Periyasamy stressed the need for improving medical facilities at district hospitals. Several district headquarters hospitals did not have the MRI scan facility.

Lawyers and professors were among the other speakers at the seminar. Joint Commissioner of Labour Madan Mohan talked about the role of the State Government in addressing the problems of migrant labour. The Inter-State Migrants Workmen Act cannot apply to labourers who come on their own or through unlicensed contractors, he added.

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