ILO India Director interacts with unions on women workers' rights
They discussed key issues such as minimum wages, working conditions in MNE supplier factories, migrant workers' social protection, proposed changes in working time, privatization, and outsourcing.
21 September 2024
Chennai, INDIA (ILO News): Michiko Miyamoto, Director, ILO India, interacted with workers and trade unions, focussing on the women workers' experiences. The event was facilitated by Mr V Veluswamy, Workers' Information and Support Centre (WISC) lead, Tamil Nadu, at the Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) Conference Hall.
Speakers included women auto rickshaw drivers, Anganwadi workers and others. Sudha Birla, LPF leader of the Construction Workers' Union, discussed challenges faced by women construction workers. N Komala, State Treasurer of the Tamil Nadu Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Progressive Union, highlighted issues due to the government's refusal to classify them as 'workers'. Women auto rickshaw drivers expressed gratitude for WISC's initiative in helping them learn driving skills. They shared their union's efforts to establish a place for women in the male-dominated sector, demanding exclusive auto stands for women drivers and addressing alleged anti-competitive practices of platform-based taxi aggregators.
K Natarajan, National Treasurer, LPF, voiced concerns about regulating working conditions in global supply chains of multinational enterprises. M Shanmugam, LPF National General Secretary and Member of Parliament, addressed the gathering, highlighting social reformer Periyar's influence on the labour movement and state government in Tamil Nadu. He emphasized the lack of minimum wages and social security as major concerns for informal workers, including migrant workers.
Director Miyamoto commended LPF's achievements in promoting women workers' organization and leadership: “It is very important for women to see other women speak [for their rights] ... We must celebrate, showcase and keep promoting women leadership in Trade Unions! The women of LPF and Tamil Nadu present excellent examples of these efforts!"
The Director also met separately with senior trade union leaders of the Joint Action Forum (JAF) of Tamil Nadu. They discussed key issues such as minimum wages, working conditions in MNE supplier factories, migrant workers' social protection, proposed changes in working time, privatization, and outsourcing.
Director Miyamoto and Vaibhav Raaj, Programme Officer at ILO, informed the leaders about various ILO initiatives addressing these issues across different states in India. The Director expressed gratitude to the trade unions for their work towards realizing the ILO's decent work agenda and reiterated the organization's commitment to supporting trade unions in representing and serving workers in the state.