INTUC national vice-president and Building Wood International (BWI), Geneva council member and former MP Dr Rama Chandra Khuntia while attending an inter-Governmental negotiation in New Delhi on Friday said nobody can debar migrant labourers from their rights while they are contributing to the world’s and individual country’s economy to a large extent.
“Migrant labourers, irrespective of their regular or irregular statuses, are contributing to the world economy and the economy of the country of destination and the country of origin. Migrant labourers are human beings and nobody can debar them from having human rights and trade union rights,” Khuntia said and added that as a worker, irrespective of place and country, migrant workers are ethically eligible to get wages, social security, healthcare and safety and trade union rights.
“We cannot just neglect 243 million migrant labourers worldwide and 25 of million Indian migrants working outside,” he said.
Stating that 40 million Indian people are working as inter-State migrant labourers in different States, he lamented that all 243 million workers worldwide and 65 million workers in India have been deprived of basic human rights, trade union rights and voting rights as well.
“Countries are not very much concerned and serious about the right of migrant laboureres,” he lamented stating that India is getting 69.5 billion US dollar per annum, which is the highest remittance in the world.
Khuntia emphasised more on healthcare, safety and social security of migrant labourers. He further said that the ever highly skilled workers in IT and service sectors are not getting social security in their countries.
He suggested that trade unions and civil societies, which are the important stakeholders, should be involved at all stage of implementation, follow up and review and social audit.
Raising the issue of stateless children where father is dead or left and there is no marriage certificate of mother and birth certificate of the child, he said such children should be immediately given recognition by the country origin by way of providing citizenship.
Khuntia lamented that the IlO guidelines and UN declarations are not being implemented in many countries, including India. He suggested formation of a National level Migrant labour Forum in line with the International Migrant labour Forum so that joint verification and social audit cab be done for the proper implementation of the UN declarations. He gave an example of Katar in this matter.
Stating that domestic worker, nurses, unskilled workers and construction workers are being exploited by contractors and inter- mediators, Khuntia demanded that the India Immigration Act 1983 and the Interstate Migrant labour Act 1979 should be amended immediately as per the recommendations of Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee on labour to strengthen the Act. The panel recommends provision of punishment for illegal agents and sub-agents, who cheat poor migrant workers.
“We do believe that the Government of India will take the lead on Global Compact On Migration to promote rights of the Indian migrant labourers,” said Khuntia
This was the fifth round Intergovernmental Negotiation on Global Compact on Migration where 129 countries, including India, are participating. The last round of discussion would be held from July 14 to 18.