The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Majority of hotels charged with violating labour laws

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Wednesday, Dec 31, 2008
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Majority of hotels charged with violating labour laws

Special Correspondent

‘They have engaged contract labour for work of perennial nature’

BANGALORE: A majority of hotels, including star hotels in Bangalore, have been accused of engaging contract labour even for perennial nature of work in violation of labour laws.

After leading a demonstration in front of the Labour Commissioner’s office here on Monday, president of Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC) G.R. Shivashankar said that a fourth of the workforce in star hotels in Bangalore comprises permanent staff. “As much as 75 per cent of the workers are contract labourers”, he said.

Pointing out that the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Amendment Bill 2002 prohibits engaging of contract labour for jobs that are perennial in nature, Mr. Shivashankar said a large number of hotels in Bangalore, including star hotels, are employing contract labourers for house-keeping, dish-washing, banquet service, etc.

He accused the Labour Department officials of issuing contract licence to the contractor concerned in violation of the laws. In most of the cases, the employment records of the contract employees are not with the principal employer, which could prove to be a security risk.

Similarly, the hotels were removing or suspending without notice employees participating in union activities in the establishments.

He cited three such cases that happened in Bangalore in the recent past.

In hotels, where there was a single employees’ union, the managements should recognise the union as the sole representative of the employees.

Besides, many hotels were extracting 12 hours of work from their employees against the eight-hour norm. Also, the hotel establishments were denying their employees statutory benefits, including payment of Provident Fund (PF) and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI).

He said these issues were discussed with Labour Commissioner after the demonstration.

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