6 days ago
CITU Launches Protest Demanding Pending Salaries for Hostel Worker
Gadwal: In a strong show of support for long-neglected hostel workers, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest rally on Tuesday demanding immediate disbursement of pending wages. The rally began at the old Collector's office and culminated in a dharna (sit-in protest) in front of the District Collectorate.
District Secretaries A. Venkataswamy and V.V. Narasimha declared that the fight will continue until every worker receives their rightful wages. The protest highlighted the financial distress faced by workers due to the non-payment of salaries for 6 to 7 months.
Seven Months Without Pay: Workers in Crisis
According to the CITU leaders, SC hostel workers have not received their salaries for seven months, and BC hostel workers have gone unpaid for six months. They criticized the government for ignoring essential service providers, comparing hostel workers' duties to those in emergency services.
'How are workers' families supposed to survive without salaries for months?' questioned the leaders during the protest.
Demand for Direct Payment Through Corporations
CITU demanded that the government disburse wages directly through the SC and BC Welfare Corporations, bypassing third-party agencies, to ensure timely and transparent payment.
They also condemned district welfare officials, accusing them of negligence and irresponsibility, which has led to failures in depositing PF (Provident Fund) and ESI (Employee State Insurance) contributions into workers' accounts.
Allegations of Arbitrary Appointments and Exploitation
Leaders alleged that favoritism and irregular appointments have become rampant. Workers are being shuffled arbitrarily between pre-matric and post-matric hostels, often at the whims of local officials.
In the BC college hostel, workers have reportedly not shown up for four months, and the workload is falling entirely on just two individuals. This scenario is repeating across many hostels in the district, resulting in severe overwork and exploitation.
They also accused past and current officials of making unauthorized appointments without issuing proper notifications, denying long-serving workers official recognition and security.
Key Demands Presented to Authorities
The protest concluded with the submission of a petition to Additional Collector Lakshmi Narayana, listing several key demands:
Immediate release of pending wages
Issuance of appointment letters and job charts specifying each worker's role
Proper PF and ESI deposits into worker accounts
Regularization and recognition of long-time workers
End to arbitrary postings and political favoritism in hostel appointments
Warning of Larger Agitation
CITU warned that if the government fails to address these concerns promptly, the union will launch a long-term agitation across the district and state.
Protest Led by Worker and Union Leaders
The protest saw participation from:
Ranjith Kumar and Anand Raju (District President & Secretary, Hostel Workers' Union),
Upper Narasimha (CITU District Vice President),
Jayakar (District Treasurer, Hostel Workers' Union)
Shashikala, Lakshmi (Vice Presidents)
Pravalika, Chintarevula (Assistant Secretaries)
Gopal, Haimavati, Ramakrishna, Anji, Sridevi, Padma, and several other workers.
