Panaji: Labour Day was marked by demands for better working conditions in the state. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Christopher Fonseca criticised govt for overlooking the eight-hour workday system and instead forcing workers to work 12-hour shifts.AITUC has called for scrapping the contract labour system and demanded a minimum monthly wage of Rs 30,000 for unskilled workers.“Now, every day workers have to work for more than 12 hours. We demand that the contract system should be abolished. The abuse of workers needs to stop. Govt must address unemployment in the state. Farmers should get the minimum support price,” said Fonseca.He added that 75% of the workers employed in the private sector are on contract or temporary status. He said that in the pharmaceutical sector, around 90% of the workers are on a daily-wage basis and a contract basis.Meanwhile, the PWD Labour Supply Society workers staged a protest at Azad Maidan, demanding regularisation of over 1,700 temporary staff. The union warned of phased agitation if their demands for job security and fair employment benefits are not met. The workers, many of whom have been serving for over a decade on a temporary or daily-wage basis, urged govt to address their long-pending demands and ensure stable employment terms.
