Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) affiliated Anganwadi and other scheme workers will meet Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday to apprise him about the progress over their issues including wage hike.
"The representatives of BMS affiliates scheme workers organisation will meet Finance minister (the chairman of inter-ministerial committee to look into labour concerns) on 23 January, 2017 to apprise him on the development of committee so far, and will also insist to enhance the wages/ honorarium to scheme workers along with other pending demands," BMS said in a statement.
BMS also said, "In case our demands are not addressed properly and timely, the Akhil Bhartiya Anganwadi Karamchari Mahasangh and other scheme workers affiliated to the BMS will hold nation-wide protest including strikes."
According to the statement, more than 61 lakh scheme workers (Aanganwadi, Aasha, Mid Day Meal etc.) are working in the country.
These schemes are run by funds from central and State governments. The scheme started in 1975 and is continuing till date. The workers of the schemes are neither being paid minimum wages nor even recognised as workers as per definition of workers given in the law, it said.
The BMS is struggling for their recognition as workmen. During the discussion on 12-point charter of demands with the inter- ministerial meeting headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 26th August, 2015, the government had agreed to extend social securities (ESI, PF) to the scheme workers and to work out modality, a committee under the chairmanship of Labour Secretary has been set up, it said.
The committee, headed by labour secretary, met trade union representatives today and discussed various aspects of the ESI to be extended to the scheme workers, BMS said.
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