Adviser to chief minister labour employment and skill development Nagaland Dr. T.M. Lotha has asserted the need to protect the rights, equality, dignity and safety of the workers without any discrimination.
He was speaking as chief guest at “northeast domestic workers week regional conference on decent work for domestic workers” held from June 10-16 under the theme “domestic work is work, domestic workers are like other workers entitled to decent work”.
Dr. T.M Lotha lamented that people in Nagaland were unaware of various Acts for workers as the domestic workers were not duly registered and the also organisation was not well structured.
He pointed out that many Acts and resolutions have been passed in International Labour Organization (ILO) and UN bodies however lamented that domestic workers in India continue to struggle for visibility and recognition.
He said several legislations such as the unorganised social security act-2008, sexual harassment against women at work place (Prevention, prohibition and redressal) Acts 2013 and minimum wages schedule notified in various states refer to domestic workers. Dr. Lotha however lamented that there was absence of comprehensive, uniformly applicable, national legislation that guarantees fair terms of employment and decent working conditions.
Stating that domestic workers should be guaranteed the same terms of employments as enjoyed by others, he reminded that domestic workers should be seen not just as helpers who are part of the family but as employed workers entitled to the rights.
Dr. Lotha asserted that there should be cordial atmosphere in the work place and cordial relationship between employer and employee with the view to collectively promote the decent work for domestic workers and to ultimately enhance the efficiency and economy of the family.
In his address, Dr. Neikiesalie (Nicky) Kire, MLA also expressed concern for the welfare of the domestic workers.
Also speaking in the programme, labour commissioner Kohima Nagaland L. Nungshiyanger Aier, informed that Nagaland was one of the lowest minimum wage paying states in the country at Rs. 115 per day. He said the department was working hard to increase the minimum wage and expressed hope that in the next revision the wage might be increased to Rs. 288 per day.
He informed that Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Act was already implemented at Dimapur and soon it would implemented in Kohima and added that person whose pay or salary below Rs 21,000 are entitled to enrol under this scheme. He also disclosed that in the random survey by the labour department, Kohima has around 5,000 child labour.
Various speakers like principal St. Joseph’s College Jakhama Rev. Fr. Dr. Sebastian Qusepparampill, principal Japfü Christain College Kigwema Dr. Visakhono Hibo, Principal Don Bosco College Kohima Rev. FR. Suresh SDB, Deputy commissioner Kohima Rajesh Soundararajan IAS and representative from Nagaland state social welfare board spoke on the occasion.
The speakers shared their concern for the welfare of the domestic workers in the state. One domestic worker also spoke on the occasion.
Nagaland domestic workers submitted memorandum to the chief guest urging the Nagaland government on fixation of wages under minimum wages Act, inclusion in the welfare scheme, well-functioning of social welfare board and skill training for domestic workers.
In her welcome and introductory speech, MSMHC convener Regional conference on domestic workers Rev. Sr. Margaret Sekhose said that the minimum wage for the domestic workers have been fixed for four Northeast states namely Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram under the category like unskilled, semi-skilled skilled and highly skilled whereas Manipur and Nagaland states was yet to fix the same.
She said the 6 North East states have 10,403 domestic workers identified, where 7965 workers registered, domestic workers group formed 519, domestic workers’ children identified 7036 and domestic workers’ children identified 5859.
The programme was organized by Ferrando domestic workers’ Alliance (FDWA) and national domestic worker’s movement (NDWM) in collaboration with office of the labour commissioner Kohima, Nagaland state social welfare board Kohima, development association Nagaland, Japfü Christian college Kigwema, Don Bosco college Kohima and St. Joseph’s college Jakhama and attended by domestic workers, students, government officials, organizers members and others.