The Asangathit Kamgar Adhikar Manch (AKAM) has called for formation of a structural body and setting up of legal framework for the people working as domestic helps for their livelihood. Addressing the media, AKAM member Ajay Rawat said,
“There is no such law that talks about the rights of those working as domestic helps which makes it difficult to address the problems faced by such workers. Workers doing such jobs suffer due to absence of paperwork, no fixed working hours, minimal benefit of labour laws, low wages, physical and mental harassment.”
Himad Samiti coordinator DS Pundir said,“About 90 per cent of the household workers in India are women and girls who belong to the backward sections of the society.
They are uneducated and unaware of their rights which also makes them vulnerable to human trafficking besides working for low wages without holidays and suffering ill-treatment at work. Also, there is no process of registration of such workers. They are not even counted as labourers.”
The AKAM members demanded survey and registration of such workers as part of measures needed to ensure their welfare. They had also approached the governor and received a positive response on their demands for survey and registration, they added.