New Delhi, February 9, 2024: The seventh meeting of the NJCS Sub-committee on Contract Workers, held on February 8th, 2024, brought both progress and points of contention regarding the welfare of contract workers in Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
Increased AWA: A significant outcome was the agreed-upon increase in Allowance for Workmen Assistants (AWA) for contract workers. Management initially offered a 25% hike, but negotiations led to a final increase ranging from Rs 750 to Rs 1500, representing a 40% rise for most workers. This increase will be implemented from February 2024.
Unresolved Issues: Despite this progress, several key issues remain unresolved. Unions, including the Steel Workers' Federation of India (SWFI) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), expressed dissatisfaction with the exclusion of project workers from the AWA increase and the non-inclusion of the increased amount in calculating the provident fund (PF). Additionally, the demand for a minimum AWA of Rs 3000 was not met.
Further Discussions: The sub-committee agreed to hold another meeting to address these outstanding concerns, including night shift allowance, quarters, job security, and safety measures for contract workers. Wage implementation in RINL also requires separate discussions.
Union Response: While acknowledging the progress made, SWFI/CITU emphasized the need for continued efforts to address all pending issues. They highlighted the lack of unanimity among unions regarding certain points, particularly the exclusion of project workers, and reiterated the importance of a unified fight to achieve a comprehensive settlement. They urged all SAIL units to take steps to implement the decided AWA increase.
Looking Ahead: This meeting demonstrates continued efforts to improve the working conditions of contract workers in SAIL. However, further negotiations and collective action from unions are necessary to address the remaining concerns and achieve a more equitable outcome for all contract workers.
