Headload workers hold a "self-respect gathering"

Headload workers, the backbone of Kerala, held a "self-respect gathering" at Marine Drive, Ernakulam, to protect their jobs and dignity against moves to take away their work and to insult headload work.

Headload workers do not get wages or other facilities matching the hardship of their work. Even so, when attempts are made to take away their jobs, we cannot stand by with folded arms, CITU state general secretary Com. Elamaram Kareem MP said, inaugurating the gathering. The judiciary and some media are acting without understanding the facts. When considering cases, the courts could have asked some workers' organisation for its views; that did not happen. The one-sided insulting of headload workers must stop, Com. Elamaram Kareem MP added.

At the gathering, chaired by INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan, various trade union leaders spoke, including AITUC state general secretary Com. K P Rajendran, CITU all-India secretary Com. K Chandran Pillai, national council member Com. C N Mohanan, state secretary Com. K N Gopinath and CITU district secretary Com. P R Muraleedharan.