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As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, 92% of the country’s workforce (who lack access to social safety nets) are experiencing a historic and unprecedented crisis. For the second time in a row in less than a year, the country witnessed a virtual lockdown. The effects of the restrictions in economic activity and the lack of any social security safeguards have hit the migrant and informal sector workers the hardest. The Stranded Workers Action Network (SWAN), which began last year as a voluntary effort to mobilise relief for stranded migrant workers, relaunched its helpline on 21st April 2021. In this report we attempt to highlight the multiple dimensions of precarity experienced by migrant and informal workers during this second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that the current crisis has been similar to last year’s in terms of the dimensions of distress experienced, but also exceptional as it has compounded the problems of workers who now have little savings and limited access to safety nets. Through our conversations with around 8,000 workers and their family members we record the limited availability of food and rations, lack of access to basic healthcare, low levels of income and earnings, increasing levels of indebtedness, the struggles of surviving in the city, and the additional set of concerns with returning to life in the villages. In the context of these deeply alarming trends, we juxtapose and study the central and state governments’ responses. The state governments’ responses have definitely been inadequate. Many of the policy initiatives introduced thus far have been limited in terms of coverage, procedurally confusing and alienating, on the whole failing to account for the needs of migrant workers and their families. We find the central government’s response to be the most disconcerting as it appears to have all but abdicated responsibility, instead expecting the states to respond to the crisis. There have been no budgetary extensions or policy announcements that cover migrant workers’ distress. In the context of the government’s feeble response, we propose a set of recommendations, many of which align with the long standing demands made by workers’ unions, civil society organisations, labour activists, policy experts and academics. These specific recommendations have been arrived at in consultation with academics and civil society organisations. SWAN has actively participated in these consultations. We discuss the feasibility of these measures and underscore the urgent need for the government to provide a comprehensive policy response that alleviates the growing distress of migrant and informal workers—a group that has suffered disproportionately due to the impacts of the pandemic. |
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कोरोना क दसर लहर क तपात क साथ, दश क 92% कामगार लोग (िजन तक सामािजक सरा तं क पहच क सत कमी ह) अभतपव समया स जझ रह ह । एकसाल म दसर बार दश को अलग-अलग कार क लॉक डाउनका सामना करना पड़ा, और आ थक ग त व धय पर रोक लगन कवजह स वासी मज़दर व असंग ठत छ क मक इसस सबस यादा भा वत हए ह। (Stranded Workers Action Network (SWAN) अथवा वान, वासी मज़दरकलए एक वंयसवक दल ह, जो पछल साल जटकर वासी मज़दर तक सहायता पहचन का काम कर रहा था। व भन राय तरय लॉक डाउन क वजह स इस साल भी वासीमज़दर पर भार असर पड़ा ह। बढ़ती परशा नय को मयनज़र रखत हए, वान न इस साल भी 21 अल2021 स हपलाइन फर स श क। हम समझ आया क यातनाओ क आयाम लगभग पछल साल जस ह ह, लकन समयाए कछ अलग इस वजह स ह यक इस बार लोग क आथक िथ त पहल स यादा कमज़ोर ह और सामािजक सरा तं क पहच म कमी होना हालत को और मिकल बना दता ह। |
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This list of “worker helplines” includes 20 states/zones with contact details of 100 Labour Commissioners with their email addresses. To understand the support being offered, SWAN volunteers called 80 officers from across these 20 zones and enquired about the assistance being provided to migrant workers with regard to: non-payment of due wages, provision of rations or cooked food, financial assistance to meet basic needs, protection from eviction by landlords, and support for travel back to their home states. In this note, we provide a summary of responses to the calls made by SWAN volunteers. Previously, we have also written to the Ministry of Labour with case specific details, including company names, from 7 states to the Chief Labour Commissioner and state labour commissioners on 17th May 2021. So far we have only received a response from one state. | Download | |||
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SWAN write to the Karnataka Chief Minister highlighting the distress of migrant workers calling our helpline from Kerela- We received 41 calls covering 264 people of which 5% were women and children ● 71% earned less than or equal to Rs 500/day or Rs 10,000/month (prior to the lockdown). ● 90% of the workers we spoke to reported that work (daily and contractual) has stopped due to locally declared lockdowns. On average, workers reported that work had stopped for 24 days. ● We received calls mainly from Bengaluru (88%) and some calls from Mysuru and Mangaluru. ● 55% of workers reported that they had not received their full wages or had been paid partial wages for the previous month. However, only 6% had received any money from their employer since the work had stopped. | Download | |||
The letter gives out an urgent appeal to extend help to migrant workers during the statewide lockdown, pointing out the many distress calls of workers that SWAN has been receiving. | Download | |||
कोविड-19 महामारी की दूसरी लहर में मृतकों की संख्या और संक्रमण की दर खतरनाक रूप सेउच्च होनेके कारण देश के कई हि स्सों में तालेबंदी और अन्य प्रति बंध लगाए गए हैं। भले ही एक राष्ट्रव्यापी लॉकडाउन की घोषणा नहीं की गई है, फि र भी गैर-आवश्यक आर्थि क गति वि धि यों मेंऔर अधि क कटौती की माँग के साथ काम गंभीर रूप सेबाधि त हो गया है। परि णामी संकट का आघात एक बार फि र प्रति कूल रूप सेअनौपचारि क श्रमि कों पर पड़ा है, जि समेंप्रवासी श्रमि क और फुटपाथ वि क्रेता शामि ल हैं। पि छले साल की घटनाओं से सहमे हुए श्रमि कों नेअपनेमूल गृहनगरों और गांवों की सुरक्षा की तरफ वापसी शुरू कर दी है। घर वापसी का यह सफ़र घातक परि णामों के बि ना नहींहुआ है। पि छलेसाल की त्रासदि यों की एक गंभीर पुनरावृत्ति में, तीन प्रवासी श्रमि क मारे गए थे जब दि ल्ली से टीकमगढ़ जा रही एक अत्यंत भीड़भाड़ वाली बस पलट गई थी। तथापि , कई लोग कि सी भी सामाजि क सुरक्षा तंत्र तक कोई पहुँच न होने के कारण फंसे रहते हैं। | Download | |||
As more lockdowns get declared, livelihood distress is beginning to rise and economic activity is coming to a standstill. Once again, the heaviest burden of distress is falling on informal workers, especially migrant workers. The Stranded Workers Action Network (SWAN) has been in touch with the families/groups of about 150 migrant workers over the last 2 weeks. -81% of the workers who are either still stranded or are in their homes stated that work had stopped due to locally declared lockdowns/ restrictions. On average, workers have said that work had stopped for 19 days. - While 68% of workers said that they had received their full or partial wages for the previous month, only 18% had received any money from their employer since the work had stopped. -While some workers have returned to their native villages, others were unsure about whether they should go back or wait for work to resume. - 76% of the workers needed ration and/or cash support. | Download | |||
The document provides an overall sense of the livelihood situation of various vulnerable groups in Bengaluru affected due to COVID-19. This is based on data and insights collected through personal interviews, direct surveys and discussions with the relevant public, members of the civil society organisations involved on the ground as well as inputs from subject matter experts. The section on the response from migrant workers (Page 22) collected responses from workers who interacted directly with SWAN. |
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