May Day falling today attaches significance to the labour class for having won over their rights and provisions laid down regarding their working hours and other conditions, but most of the labourers here expressed ignorance over such privileges.
The reason is their unawareness about the historic struggle worldwide that brought eight-hour working system into effect on May 1, 1886.
Besides, a large-scale influx of inter-state migrant workers over the years has rendered them jobless here as the outside labour is easily accessible at lower rates.
The workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal have replaced them in many areas like masonry, carpentry and even interior and outside designing and their demand in rural settings of Jammu for paddy sowing in the ensuing monsoons have grown manifold.
Even in Kashmir, during the orchid season, labourers from outside the state are hired. “The local workers are hard to find as either they demand more money or are lethargic. Those from outside are more intelligent, easily available and are ready to work for less wages,” said Rakesh Chalotra, a contractor at Janipur, Jammu.
The trend is fast picking up in the state, especially in the southern parts of Jammu and orchid producing areas of the Kashmir valley.
Hari Prasad from Bihar said, “Here we are able to earn some extra bucks to run our home for a few months”. Though he gave a vague answer on May Day’s importance, he seemed to have heard about the occasion concerning labours worldwide.
Manjeet Singh, a local carpenter, expressed complete ignorance about the significance of the day. He, however, denied the charge of lethargy and said it was local contractors who changed their loyalties to outside labourers.
“Though they are significantly contributing to the economic development as well as infrastructural expansion of various projects of the state by putting their skilled labour into it, a law governing them should be enforced to maintain their registration as labourers,” said Divisional Commissioner Pawan Kotwal.
Labour Day: It’s just another day for them
