In February 2015, the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Delhi riding high on expectations of common people. Among several of its promises, a key promise was to end the saga of contractualization and ensure regularization of workers in various sectors. Unfortunately, seven months since coming to office, the AAP government has not taken any initiatives towards the fulfillment of this key election time promise.
Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) too has continued with process of recruiting young workers through the process of contractualisation. On 30 September 2015, several young contract workers working in DTC mobilized under the AICCTU banner marched to Delhi Secretariat demanding that they be made regular and their wages be fixed accordingly. The DTC workers have also been raising concerns regarding the pension provisions and the massive corruption that takes place during wage payment and other provisions. Additionally, the workers also expressed anger with the Kejriwal led AAP government that far from addressing their concerns has instead chosen to crackdown on their right to protest and strike. In May 2015, when the DTC workers had gone on strike demanding compensation for the family of a driver who had been beaten to death in a road rage incident, the Delhi Government had responded by imposing Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the agitating staff.
The workers demanded that the Delhi Government explain its betrayal of election time promises and take concrete initiatives to meet their grievances.
