Labour Day Demands in Goa: AITUC Criticizes Government Over Working Conditions
Panaji: Labour Day was marked by demands for better working conditions in Goa. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Christopher Fonseca criticized the government for overlooking the eight-hour workday system and instead forcing workers to work 12-hour shifts.
AITUC has called for scrapping the contract labour system and demanded a minimum monthly wage of Rs 30,000 for unskilled workers. “Now, every day workers have to work for more than 12 hours. We demand that the contract system should be abolished. The abuse of workers needs to stop. The government must address unemployment in the state. Farmers should get the minimum support price,” said Fonseca.
Fonseca added that 75% of workers employed in the private sector are on contract or temporary status. He said that in the pharmaceutical sector, around 90% of workers are on a daily-wage or contract basis.
PWD Labour Supply Society Workers Protest for Regularization
Meanwhile, the PWD Labour Supply Society workers staged a protest at Azad Maidan, demanding regularization of over 1,700 temporary staff. The union warned of phased agitation if their demands for job security and fair employment benefits are not met. The workers, many of whom have been serving for over a decade on a temporary or daily-wage basis, urged the government to address their long-pending demands and ensure stable employment terms.
The protests highlight the ongoing struggle for workers' rights in Goa, with unions calling for immediate action to improve working conditions, ensure fair wages, and provide job security for temporary and contract workers.
