A cross section of labourers representing various sectors interacted with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and proposed measures to improve their respective areas at the ‘Mukhamukham’ programme held here on Thursday.
Job security, issues related to benefits and wage revision were the major points put forward by the 57 people who interacted with the Chief Minister.
Padmashri Gopinathan, who represented the handloom sector, demanded that each group be given 10 looms and more employment opportunities can be created by providing modern looms.
Media professional K. K. Shahina demanded that functioning of internal grievance redressal cells should be ensured in all media houses and the new building of Media Academy should be named after the yesteryear journalist Haleema Beevi. Make-up artist Ranju Ranjimar wanted to ensure fixed basic salary for make-up artsists. Rekha Karthikeyan, the first woman in the country to obtain first deep-sea fishing license, demanded that the compensation of fishers who die at sea should be increased to ₹5 lakh.
Susheela Joseph, winner of the 2020 Thozhil Shrestha Award, said that the legislation for domestic workers should be completed and brought into effect on a war footing and measures should be taken to prevent the exploitation faced by domestic workers in workplace.
Providing identity cards to drivers in the tourism sector, increasing working days for cashew labourers and increasing the salary of the mahouts were the other demands presented by various participants. The Chief Minister assured that steps will be taken to protect the rights of domestic workers and regulate their working hours. There will also be measures to prevent exploitation by agencies and ensure they get adequate rest. He added that safety of women workers is a priority and studio apartments are being constructed for the accommodation of those who work night shifts.
“A mobile app is being developed for guest workers to file complaints in their own language. Facilities to rest will be provided for taxi drivers and steps will be taken to ensure better wages for nurses,” he said.
While more skill development centres will be established, government-owned properties will be given for film shooting at reasonable rates. He added that the wages in the media sector will be examined and the data of artisans in the State will also be collected.
