Ambedkar University sanitation workers meet Gopal Rai over loss of jobs

Sanitation workers of Ambedkar University met Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai Wednesday over the issue of the ouster of some of the employees. Fifty-two workers claimed they were ousted on May 31 without any due notice from the administration, but following a protest 44 of them were reinstated. Following the reinstatement, the workers organised themselves under the banner of Safai Kamgaar Union (SKU).

"This safai karamcharis, who worked for AUD, was contracted by Sulabh International. The ostensible reason for their job loss cited by the administration is the termination of Sulabh's contract," the Safai Kamgar Union said. It said the Delhi government had passed an order concerning employment of all contract workers in Delhi government departments, which stated that they were to be employed directly by the respective departments.

In another decision, the state government had laid down that minimum 80 per cent of the workers were to be retained even if the contractor was changed, the union said. AUD is a university run by the Delhi government falls within the purview of the decision and hence workers here too should be directly employed by the administration, the union said.

The workers, in their meeting with the labour minister, demanded it should be ensured as per law that all 52 workers be given permanent jobs. The union said Rai assured the workers that he would be visiting the AUD campus to look into and solve their issues.