Participants with others during the observance of World Day for Decent Work held in Assisi auditorium, Dimapur on October 7. (Photo Courtesy: ACID)
World Day for Decent Work observed
Dimapur, October 9 (MExN): The World Day for Decent Work was observed by Assisi Centre for Integrated Development (ACID) in collaboration with National Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM) Nagaland Region in Assisi auditorium, Dimapur on October 7.
Addressing the occasion, Advocate Limanochet said that World Day for Decent Work 2022 is dedicated to the millions of workers around the world seeking wage justice, said a press release. “Wage justice along with universal social protection, is at the heart of the new social contract that the world so desperately needs to ensure financial security for households and sustainable economy,” he stated.
In Nagaland, he said, “we call on the government to govern in the interest of the workers rather than extract wealth from the workers. We also call on the employers that they do not exploit the vulnerability of their workers.”
He highlighted that post-pandemic many workers experienced reduced salary, increase workload or both together. They felt that employers consciously tried to exploit their vulnerability and exercised their bargaining power to negotiate and reduce salaries or increase the workload with the same salary. “This generated a feeling of helplessness among the workers,” he maintained.
He also said that increasing numbers of workers are trapped in the workforce where they have no job security, and work long hours for poverty wages in unsafe environments or with unsafe products.
Sr Pramila, Director of ACID and coordinator for NDWM Nagaland Region in her welcome address said that some of the decent work indicators are employment opportunities, adequate earnings and productive work, decent working time, combining work, family and personal life, stability and security of work, equal opportunity and treatment in employment, safe work environment.
She observed that rampant inflation, driven by profit-gouging by powerful corporations that control energy, transport, food and other vital commodities, is sending more workers and their families into poverty. “Minimum wages in most of the states in our country are inadequate; leading these workers to continue to lose ground. Wage justice is a cornerstone of the social contract between workers, governments and employers that has been broken in the interests of corporate greed,” she stated.
She asserted that the domestic workers movement and All Nagaland Domestic Workers Union need to stands united with other trade unions to ensure wage justice.
