Page 224 - Handbook on Convergence of Service

Handbook on Convergence: Ministry of Labour and Employment

Annexure 3

Case Study

Savita works in a medium-sized chemical factory in “x” district of “Y”
state. She moved here with her family from “Z” state three years ago. She is
accompanied by her husband Satish, and two children, son named Sonu aged
three years, and a daughter Sonali aged seven years.

The family stays in a small shed in a slum close to the factory. The work
in the factory is hazardous, but they don’t know what other employment
opportunities are there for them so Savita and Satish continue working
there.

Recently, while working, Savita inhaled some toxic fumes and fainted. She
was admitted to the nearest Govt. health center by her supervisor in the
factory, but after that, the family had to bear all expenses for her stay of three
days, including medicines.

However, her nausea and head reeling still continue, and she feels weak all
the time. She does not have access to any hospital on her own as the nearest
health center of the State Govt. is 10 kms. away. It is her husband who will
have to take her and that would mean loss of a day’s wages for both of them.
Thus, she keeps silent and bears her problems.

The family also has not much savings and Savita does not have any bank
account from which she can withdraw money and go to a private doctor
nearby.

Savita and Satish know that some people in the factory have cards and can go
to the ESIC dispensary 5 kms. away. They have also heard that some people
have a fund where the employer also deposits money and their savings can
increase. However, people like them have no access to these facilities as they
are contractual workers. Once, Satish had asked the supervisor and factory
owner to also enroll them, but he was told brusquely that they were free to go
back to their state if they were so greedy.

Savita has also heard from other workers that their actual dues are not given
in full to them. In fact, the contractor who got them this work takes a cut of
Rs 2,000 from each of them every month, even though he is from their own
village. She is not aware that there is a minimum wage - she is in any case not
getting even that, plus there is the cut by the contractor from whatever little
she and Satish get.

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