Supply of essential commodities like fruits and vegetables are likely to be affected on Monday as mathadi workers (head-loader) across the state will go on one-day token strike on December 14. They have demanded the reformation of Mathadi Boards, providing jobs to mathadi workers’ children and full-time chairman and secretary in the Mathadi Boards.
As the two-day winter session will be held in Mumbai, the mathadi union is to observe a one-day token strike on December 14 to put pressure on the state government to meet their long-pending demands.
Narendra Patil, former MLA and general secretary of Maharashtra State Mathadi Transport and General Workers Union said that a number of demands are pending with the state government which are related to the livelihood of a lakh of mathadi workers across the state.
“We have supported the Bharat Bandh on December 8 as the farm laws brought in by the Centre are against the livelihood of traders, farmers and mathadi workers,” said Patil. He added that similarly there are demands that are pending with the state government related to mathadi workers must be addressed.
Patil said that they have decided to go on a one-day token strike on December 14 to remind the state government about the pending demands. “During the lockdown, a lakh of mathadi workers continued working at APMCs across the state. Many of them infected and died due to COVID-19,” said Patil, adding that their family should be given monetary help by the state government.
In addition, they are also demanding the reformation of mathadi boards. “In the last 10 to 15 years, no appointments have been made to the Mathadi Board and Advisory Committee in the state. As a result, issues related to mathadi workers are on a toss,” said Patil. He added that new mathadi organizations are emerging every day, which is creating confusion among mathadi workers.
Among their demands, the union demanded that mathadi workers should be included among essential services and they should be given a railway pass. “Mathadi workers should be given a place in the boards,” said Patil.
