YCW group at Paruthiyur achieved wage increase for the workers employed in 100 days Job (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Grantee Programme)…….

Situation:

Paruthiyur is a small village situated in the district of Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. Around 400 people live in this village. Most of them work as daily workers in the agricultural farms. However, this work is seasonal and they get 5 to 6 months work in a year. When there is no work they migrate to other places seeking jobs. In this situation, the 100 days job (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Grantee Programme) was introduced in this village 2 years ago. Therefore, during period when they do not have work in the agricultural farms, they worked in 100 days job program. The salary fixed for this job was Rs. 80 per day but they received only Rs. 50 per day.

In this situation, YCW was introduced in this village and a YCW group was formed in January 2010. The group has 12 members (5 boys and 7 girls). While discussing the issues of young workers and other workers in this village in the group meeting, the group members discovered that they were paid Rs. 50 per day while working in the 100 days job. They reflected that it is their right to get Rs. 80 per day. Moreover they decided to do an investigation on their work situation and at the end they discovered the following facts:

·        The salary they get is not enough to meet the expenses of the basic needs (food, cloths, house, medicine education)

·        They were not given 100 days job to work in a year but got 10 to 30 days of work per year

·        In the nearby villages workers in 100 days job received Rs. 80 per day

·        They faced discrimination on the basis of caste in getting the wage

Based on the findings of the inquiry, the group members decided to demand the following from the government:

·        To get the daily salary of Rs. 80 now

·        To get the arrears of 2 years of salary

·        To increase the daily salary to Rs. 100

·        To provide 100 days job in a year

Then the group members decided on the following plan and strategy to achieve the above demands:

·        To bring to the knowledge and awareness of other workers the facts and the demands

·        To raise awareness among the other workers about the rights of workers

·        To prepare a petition with the demands and get the signature of the workers and public in support of the demand

·        To present the petition to the District Collector and demand him to pay the workers Rs. 80 per day

Action

The group members met the other workers and public and explained them how they were cheated by the authorities and denied of their daily wage of Rs. 80. They also explained their demand and asked them to support the demand. This action happened in the first three weeks of June 2010.

Then on 27^th June, the YCW members prepared the petition with the demands and collected the signatures of the workers in support of their demand. They collected more than 200 signatures from the workers.

On 28^th of June, the YCW group leaders and the field worker met the District collector and presented the demands and explained him their right to get Rs. 80 per day in the 100 days job program. The district collector assured the YCW leaders that he would take the necessary step to solve the issue.

Result:   

The district collector as promised initiated the process to solve the issue. He directed his officers to meet with YCW leaders at Kudvasal Taluk Union Office on 30^th June. The officers invited the YCW leaders for the dialogue at the union office. YCW was represented by Xavier (Paruthiyur YCW group president) and Vijay (Secretary), Ravi (YCW national full-timer) and Kumar (former YCW national leader). The discussion was centred on the demands getting Rs. 80 per day and getting 100 days job in a year. Finally the representative of the district collector agreed that all those who are working in the 100 days job program in the village will get Rs. 80 per day.

Impact

The workers now receive Rs. 80 per day while working in the 100 days job program. The community increased its trust in YCW group and its activity. The people in the village now know about the YCW and its programs and support it. The YCW members became aware of their rights as workers in 100 days job program. The enquiry and analysis skill of the YCW members increased through this action. They developed the skill to write a petition with demand, to face and speak with the officers and to get the support of the other workers. This action increased the confidence of the group members to proceed to the next demand which is to increase the wage from Rs. 80 to Rs. 100