A Tribal Mining Workers' Strike

The Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action (PCLRA) has over the past few years spearheaded a fairly successful campaign of organising informal labourers in the brick kiln and construction industry across the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh in the face of determined opposition from the employers and apathy and connivance on the part of the Government and Administration. One of the great things about this effort is that the organisation continually seeks out new areas in which to intervene and further broaden the struggle. As part of this process they have now come out in support of a unique strike by tribal workers in the green marble mining industry in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. Sudhir Katyar of PCLRA reports -

Nearly 5000 tribal workers at the green marble mining area of Rishabdeo in Udaipur district of Rajasthan have been on strike for last three weeks. The workers are demanding an eight hour work day, registration under the Provident Fund scheme of Government, improved safety measures at mines to prevent accidents, and modest wage hikes. In fact the demands are already mandated by labor laws. However as is the case almost everywhere, the labour laws are followed more in breach.

 The mining area is located in a tribal belt that witnesses heavy out migration to Gujarat. However in the mines, nearly half the workers are from other states as owners find them more vulnerable. They stay at the site and work 12 hours a day. This puts pressure on local workers to put in longer hours. Almost five workers die every year because of lax safety arrangements. 

The strike has entered its fourth week. The employers, instead of negotiating with the workers, have foisted police cases on union leaders. The strike is unprecedented as the mining belt of South Rajasthan has never seen industrial action on such a large scale. The local tribal member of the legislative assembly (MLA) is himself a mine owner and he has ensured that there is almost no media coverage of such a big industrial action locally and also that the union leaders have been arraigned in false criminal cases. There has been little outside support. We appeal to all to support this action of mine workers. Please send messages as follows to -

Smt Vasundhara Raje

Chief Minister of Rajasthan

1012, Chief Minister’s Wing

Secretariat, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Ph 0141- 2227716, 2227687 (fax)
email - cmraj@rajasthan.gov.in , cmrajasthan@nic.in

Honorable Chief Minister Rajasthan

Nearly 5000 mine workers at Rishabhdeo, District Udaipur have been on strike for three weeks. Their demands like eight hour shift, paid holidays, security measures to avoid accidents are anyway mandated by law. We are dismayed to learn that the local police has acted in a one sided manner and foisted cases under various sections of IPC at the Union leaders. We understand that the local MLA of your party, Nana Lal Ahari, is one of the mine owners and is responsible for this one sided police action. The right to organize is a fundamental right and the police action has taken away this right. We appeal you to - 

1. Order the police department to take back the false cases against the Union leaders 

2. Take a sympathetic view to just demands of the workers and ask the administrative machinery to help them realize their legal demands.

With regards