FIVE WOMEN FELICITATED ON LABOUR DAY
The Asian Age (May 2003)
By Skimmy Gupta
Women Networking Group organized a program to commemorate Labour Day on 1st May, 2003 at St.Pius College, Goregaon (E). Five women from the working class of different areas and fields were felicitated for their contribution to the Society’s Development and Growth contribution. The network chose these women to mark its respect and show its solidarity to working class women whose efforts go unnoticed.
Dr.Vibhuti Patel, member secretary, Women development cell and a reader, University of Mumbai chaired the program and presented a shawl and candle to these women. Leni from ICOR gave an introduction of the history and significance of May Day and stressed the need of the workers to unite especially in today’s world of globilisation. Members of various organizations from Akaar Mumbai, Jan Jagruti, Prayatna, Prayas Kendra, Mohalla committee Movement Trust, SRS, Prerna attended the ocassion.
The women felicitated were Regina Mary-a retrenched textile mill owner; Shushma Shetty-a worker at the artificial jewellery factory; Shanu Nair, a worker in glass factory at MIDC; Sunanda Kakde, a ragpicker from suburbs and Rashmi Kadam, a worker in factory at Jogeshwari.Each shared their experiences and the persistent problems faced by women at their workplaces.
Jaya Menon, advocate and member, Women Networking Group said,“A large section of working women still face harassment and exploitation both at work front and domestic front. At workplaces their denial of bonuses, delayed payments, no medical leaves is due to their ignorance and unawareness. At domestic, they are often beaten and assaulted and go through mental stress for not being able to carry out their responsibilities. For working class and lower strata, still harassment continues but only their forms have changed.”
Dr.Vibhuti Patel, member secretary, Women development cell and speaker for the ocassion said, “There is absolutely no awareness about Labour Day. It’s a pity that there are no journals and publications, which highlight history and importance of this day. There are museums for everything in India but there is no museum for Labour day. Even in media and TV channels, women are projected as diplomat, oversmart, hypocrites and mostly with a negative shade. Such serials portraying women in a bad light must be stopped immediately .Not even a single serial shows the struggle of the working class woman of barely able to gather two meals in a day. Today, even unions have started exploiting their members for their own vested interests. There is an immediate need to make women aware of their rights at the work front and domestic.”
The most touching experience was of Sunanda Kakde, a ragpicker from suburbs. She shared, “Since childhood, I have been a ragpicker and it been over 20 years I am hearing one day I will get a decent job. I used to spend lot of money in traveling just to get a good job in a good place and shrug off the rag picker tag. But it has not turned into a reality. I was deprived of and lived all my life in false hopes but wish my children get a respected job and education. But still if someone can teach us the recycling procedures from waste and rags, it might make a small difference to my life.”
======================================
By Skimmy Gupta
Women Networking Group organized a program to commemorate Labour Day on 1st May, 2003 at St.Pius College, Goregaon (E). Five women from the working class of different areas and fields were felicitated for their contribution to the Society’s Development and Growth contribution. The network chose these women to mark its respect and show its solidarity to working class women whose efforts go unnoticed.
Dr.Vibhuti Patel, member secretary, Women development cell and a reader, University of Mumbai chaired the program and presented a shawl and candle to these women. Leni from ICOR gave an introduction of the history and significance of May Day and stressed the need of the workers to unite especially in today’s world of globilisation. Members of various organizations from Akaar Mumbai, Jan Jagruti, Prayatna, Prayas Kendra, Mohalla committee Movement Trust, SRS, Prerna attended the ocassion.
The women felicitated were Regina Mary-a retrenched textile mill owner; Shushma Shetty-a worker at the artificial jewellery factory; Shanu Nair, a worker in glass factory at MIDC; Sunanda Kakde, a ragpicker from suburbs and Rashmi Kadam, a worker in factory at Jogeshwari.Each shared their experiences and the persistent problems faced by women at their workplaces.
Jaya Menon, advocate and member, Women Networking Group said,“A large section of working women still face harassment and exploitation both at work front and domestic front. At workplaces their denial of bonuses, delayed payments, no medical leaves is due to their ignorance and unawareness. At domestic, they are often beaten and assaulted and go through mental stress for not being able to carry out their responsibilities. For working class and lower strata, still harassment continues but only their forms have changed.”
Dr.Vibhuti Patel, member secretary, Women development cell and speaker for the ocassion said, “There is absolutely no awareness about Labour Day. It’s a pity that there are no journals and publications, which highlight history and importance of this day. There are museums for everything in India but there is no museum for Labour day. Even in media and TV channels, women are projected as diplomat, oversmart, hypocrites and mostly with a negative shade. Such serials portraying women in a bad light must be stopped immediately .Not even a single serial shows the struggle of the working class woman of barely able to gather two meals in a day. Today, even unions have started exploiting their members for their own vested interests. There is an immediate need to make women aware of their rights at the work front and domestic.”
The most touching experience was of Sunanda Kakde, a ragpicker from suburbs. She shared, “Since childhood, I have been a ragpicker and it been over 20 years I am hearing one day I will get a decent job. I used to spend lot of money in traveling just to get a good job in a good place and shrug off the rag picker tag. But it has not turned into a reality. I was deprived of and lived all my life in false hopes but wish my children get a respected job and education. But still if someone can teach us the recycling procedures from waste and rags, it might make a small difference to my life.”
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Labels: City
posted by Skimmy @ June 20, 2008
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