The maiden State convention of the midday meal workers to press for fulfilment of their various long pending demands, would be held in Bengaluru on October 13.
Addressing press persons in Dharwad on Thursday, State Secretariat member of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) Gangadhar Badiger said that the State convention would be held at Gururaj Kalyan Mantap located on Race Course Road in Bengaluru and midday meal workers from across Karnataka would participate in it to highlight their demands.
The State convention is being held under the aegis of Karnataka Rajya Samyukta Akshara Dasoha Karmikara Sangha.
Mr. Gandadhar Badiger said that the midday meal workers had been working for a pittance but had ensured that the children were served hygienic, nutritious food everyday without fail. However, the government had refused to consider them as workers and had denied them all the facilities. What was even worse was that even their meagre wages were being released after four-five months, he said.
He said that the convention was aimed at impressing the government on considering the mid-day meal workers as its employees and according them all the facilities given to the government staff like EPF and ESI and ensuring minimum wages.
Mr. Gangadhar Badiger said that the convention would deliberate on the future course of action to get their long pending demands fulfilled.
The main demands of the midday meal workers included regularisation of the services of midday meal workers; facilities like EPF, ESI, minimum wages, pension, free higher education for their children, health and medical insurance and others.
Mr. Badiger said thate there were 1.15 lakh midday meal workers in the State who toiled daily to provide timely, hygienic midday meals to children. Around over 20,000 workers are expected to take part in the State convention in Bengaluru. Dharwad district has around 2,900 midday meal workers. State committee member of the Sangha Bhuvana Ballari was present.
