The All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) has intensified its campaign for the rights of domestic workers in Karnataka, calling on the state government to immediately release the Kannada-language version of the draft Karnataka Domestic Workers Bill.
This crucial legislation, aimed at regulating working conditions and protecting the rights of thousands of domestic workers across the state, remains inaccessible to many stakeholders in its current English-only format.
Language Barrier Creates Accessibility Issue
The AICCTU has highlighted a significant oversight in the legislative process – the absence of a Kannada translation prevents meaningful participation from the very people the bill seeks to protect. Most domestic workers and many grassroots organizations primarily communicate in Kannada, making their input impossible without proper translation.
"How can we expect genuine feedback on legislation that affects lakhs of workers when the document isn't available in their primary language?" questioned an AICCTU representative.
What the Bill Aims to Achieve
The proposed Karnataka Domestic Workers Bill represents a landmark effort to formally recognize and protect domestic workers. Key provisions expected to be included are:
- Regulation of working hours and overtime compensation
- Minimum wage guarantees and timely payment mechanisms
- Social security benefits including insurance and pension
- Protection against harassment and abuse
- Formal recognition of domestic work as legitimate employment
Call for Democratic Participation
The trade union body argues that publishing the draft in Kannada isn't merely a procedural formality but a fundamental requirement for democratic law-making. They emphasize that stakeholders must be able to read, understand, and provide informed feedback on legislation that directly impacts their livelihoods and rights.
"True public consultation requires linguistic accessibility. We cannot have legislation for the people that excludes the people from the discussion process," the AICCTU stated in their appeal to the government.
The organization has set a clear expectation for swift action, urging the labour department to prioritize the translation and publication of the Kannada draft to enable comprehensive public discussion before the bill moves forward in the legislative assembly.
