In JNU, workers and students have been waging a collective struggle over the years to ensure workers’ fundamental and legally mandated rights. Various contractors operating in JNU have a horrific track record of violating workers’ rights – and the JNU administration refuses to accept responsibility in its role as the principle employer. There are around 1300 contractual workers employed in JNU, excluding construction workers. Time and again, JNUSU as well as workers have had to struggle against retrenchment, and to ensure implementation of labour laws.
In May 2015, M/s G.A. Digital Web Word Pvt Ltd., which employed 443 contract workers in JNU, finished its contract in the University. This contract, which was being repeatedly extended since 2012, expired on 30 April 2015. These contract workers employed by G.A. Digital Web Word Pvt. included gardeners in JNU’s Horticulture department, sewer men in the Civil and IHA departments, computer operators and office attendants. There are several instances of PF dues, bonus and over time payments to workers still pending with the contractor. Sybex Computer Systems Pvt Ltd took over this contract and decided that it would recruit fresh workers. They asked existing workers to attend written tests and interviews. This clearly was a means to ensure that workers who had been employed for several years in JNU would lose their jobs. In this context, the workers and JNUSU called a massive protest in JNU on 22 May 2015.
Hundreds of workers and students participated in the protest. The protest was addressed by workers’ leaders, JNUSU representatives including JNUSU President Ashutosh and School of Languages convenor Vijay, AICCTU leaders, and representatives of various student organisations in JNU. As the JNU administration intensifies its offensive against contract workers, the real stakeholders of the university protested and pledged to oppose any layoffs. The ongoing ‘reforms’ of the Modi government, will only embolden anti-labour practices everywhere, pointed out the speakers at the protest.
As a result of the protest and the constant vigilant intervention of students and workers in JNU, the layoffs were averted. The JNU administration, the new contractor and AICCTU representatives signed an in-principle agreement in conciliation proceedings currently underway at the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) office at Parliament Street that the workers employed through the old contractor would be retained by new contractor. In the days to come, the struggle to protect employment, oppose retrenchment and ensure workers’ rights will continue in JNU.
