Unorganised Workers and the Commonwealth Games (CWG) Project: PUDR’s Experience

In 2007 Peoples Union for Democratic Rights had brought out a report on the exploitation of construction workers at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Soon after, as construction work started at a massive scale all over the city for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) to be held in October this year, a need to highlight the plight of the construction workers was strongly felt. Construction workers are at a more disadvantageous position than even casual labour working in industrial units or engaged as security or sanitation staff, because of the time bound nature of their work. Secondly, the shifting nature of their work makes it impossible for them to organise themselves and struggle for their rights. Thirdly, workers recruited through the thekedars, sardars or jamdars (either introduced to them through social networks or not known to them) are in no state to bargain with them because of the workers’ total dependence and insecure economic condition.