Workers of Commonwealth Games sites demand rights, plan strike

Work on all Commonwealth Games projects will come to a standstill on Wednesday, as the labourers plan to go on strike. The workers complain that their basic rights such as provisions for clean drinking water, toilets, canteen and dispensary, are not being met.

They also claim that Rs 80 to Rs 90 given to them as wages is not enough and they are not provided benefits such as provident fund and Employees’ State Insurance.

A member of the labour group said: “The government has so many labour rights on paper but they are not being followed. The money that comes for the labourers ends up in the pockets of the Labour department officers.

All labourers working on the Games Village site, IGI Airport flyover, shopping complexes and a few of the Metro projects will gather at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday morning to register their protest. They also plan to submit their demands to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The demonstration will be organised by the Bharatiya Labour Union and will be lead by former MP Hari Kewal Prasad, MP Harsh Vardhan and MP Brij Bhushan Saran Singh.