MADURAI: Workers were forced to clean the toilet with bare hands

The workers also complained that they were not aware of their pf and ESI benefits...

Madurai: Conservancy workers under contract in Madurai railway division made a shocking revelation that they were allegedly forced to clean train toilets with bare hands since contractors had not given them safety gear.

On Monday evening they showed video evidence in a meeting conducted by the chairman of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis M Venkatesan at Railway Kalyana Mandapam.

Earlier, as the meeting commenced, Venkatesan asked all the supervisors and managers of contract companies to leave the hall.

He asked the workers to tell the problems they faced. The workers narrated their ordeal that they were paid a very meagre salary. They said they were made to work the whole month without weekly offs.

The workers also complained that they were not aware of their provident fund and ESI benefits since the contractors had not explained to them anything.

They don't receive any payslips but are asked to sign the notebook once the salary is credited into their accounts.

There was a huge difference between the amount sanctioned by railways and contractors dispersed to the workers, they said.

Some women workers said they had not received any bonus amount for the last three years but were made to sign forged documents.

They were terrified by the supervisors and the managers of contract companies if they escalated their problems to railway authorities.

Venkatesan asked if the woman employees had a mechanism to file complaints about harassment, including sexual harassment. The workers said they were not aware.