In Mangaluru, members of the Karnataka State Building and Other Construction Workers Federation protested outside Mini Vidhana Soudha, demanding that the central and state governments address various concerns affecting construction workers. District general secretary Yogesh Jappinamogaru urged the release of overdue pensions and outstanding educational financial assistance. He highlighted unsafe working conditions, particularly for migrant workers and women facing wage discrimination and harassment. CITU district general secretary Sunil Kumar Bajal condemned previous government actions that consolidated labour laws, warning that protests will escalate if demands are not met. A campaign advocating for workers' rights was also conducted in early October.
Members of the Karnataka State Building and Other Construction Workers Federation from the Dakshina Kannada district held a protest outside Mini Vidhana Soudha in Mangaluru last week. They urged both the central and state governments to address various national and state-level demands concerning construction workers. The district general secretary of the committee, Yogesh Jappinamogaru, called on the governments to release the monthly pensions that have been pending for the last two months.
He also called for the prompt release of outstanding educational financial assistance from 2022, as mandated by the high court. Furthermore, he urged the welfare board and the state government to intervene urgently to resolve issues concerning the renewal of construction workers' registrations.
Yogesh highlighted the challenging conditions within the sector, emphasising that despite the surge in construction projects, millions of workers continue to endure unsafe working environments. He pointed out that migrant workers face significant hardships, while women in the industry often experience wage discrimination and are denied equal pay. He also noted that sexual harassment remains a persistent concern.
CITU district general secretary Sunil Kumar Bajal condemned the previous BJP government and the NDA administration for consolidating 29 labour laws into four codes, including the Building and Other Construction Workers Act of 1996 and the Cess Act, which he claimed stripped workers of vital benefits and protections. In response to these changes, nationwide protests have been organised to safeguard the livelihoods of construction workers. Bajal warned that if the government does not address their demands, protests will escalate throughout Karnataka.
As part of the ongoing struggle for workers' rights, a campaign took place from October 1 to 15 in areas where construction workers reside.
In conclusion, the protests reflect growing discontent among construction workers in Karnataka, who are advocating for their rights and seeking improvements in their working conditions. The ongoing struggle highlights the urgent need for government intervention and reforms to protect vulnerable workers in the sector.
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