With a large number of its lower staff engaged in the day to day operations of Indian Railways as contract workers, the Ministry of Railways has decided to have a separate worker-friendly contractual services for them. The contract workers will now enjoy medical insurance, provident funds, maternity benefits, and other relevant perks available to regular railway staff.
In the present schemes of contract, engagements most of the labour friendly laws are ignored and they have to work as “bonded labour”.
A senior railway official said that as part of revamping its mammoth human resource, the Railways will have a database of workers engaged by contractors in non-operational areas such as housekeeping, cleaning, consultancy, training and other such services, thus keeping an eye for any violation of labour rights.
The new policy will also now see a major change in the services provided by private caterers on board the trains. “If any railway contractor is found violating labour laws, they would face charges under the law and may even be blacklisted by the railways. There were reports that contactors used to collect the full applicable proceeds for the workers like waiters, pantry operators and released them less than half the amount sanctioned. The services were ultimately hampered. The new law will keep the contactors on toes ,” said the official.
The computerised system will have a database of all workers with their personal details, police verification, medical insurance, provident fund registration, identification certificate issued by the Government of India, attendance data, shift log and the details of safety and labour law training and salary details
Under the new general Conditions of Contract (GCC) for services, the national transporter has decided to separate the terms and conditions for contractors engaged in railway works like construction of bridges, buildings, gauge conversion projects, from those pertaining to service delivery.
The new policy simultaneously will boast of a digital contract labour management system which will be a database of all contractual workers engaged in providing services to the railways. “This system shall be put in place by the contractor or by Indian Railways, as decided by the railways as per the special conditions of contract. Use of this system will be mandatory in labour intensive service contracts that is in housekeeping...,” the GCC said.
It will also generate identity cards for them complete with work site details, blood group, photograph and a colour- based band, based on category of labour. The workers biometrics will also be uploaded on the system.
The GCC stated may also undertake measures, as decided by competent authority to ensure welfare of contract workers - through a helpline for complaints from about regarding payment of wages, work site facilities, sexual harassment, or through a provision for recording anonymous complaints from workers, citizens and others regarding violation of labour laws by contractor.
The policy has also stated that all contractors were legally obligated to follow the usual labour laws like payment of minimum wages, provident fund and others, but also the Maternity Benefit Act as well as the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act just like the organised sector.