Mysuru: The contract workers working in various hostels in the city staged a protest yesterday demanding regularisation of their jobs and other demands.

The protesters gathered near the Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple at the north gate of the Mysore Palace from where they took out a procession that passed through Big Clock Tower, Mahatma Gandhi Circle, Dufferin Clock Tower, Devaraj Urs Road, Metropole Circle and finally reached the DC’s office, where they sat in dharna.

Instead of regularising the jobs of contract workers working in Backward Classes Welfare Department, Social Welfare Department and other Departments, the State Government is trying to appoint  new ones.

The Government is betraying the interest of the workers who have been working as contract workers since the last 15 to 20 years. These workers are eligible for permanent jobs based    on the rules of the Department from 1985 to 2014, which is applicable to them.

A survey must be conducted regarding the contract workers serving in all the districts. If they do not regularise the jobs, then they should be given equal work for equal pay and given salaries that match the ones given to permanent workers. They should be continued in the same posts till their retirement, were some of the demands, the protesters urged to be fulfilled.

The State Government should immediately cancel the practice of employing contract workers. They should be given permanent jobs just like the Pourakarmikas and salaries credited directly to bank accounts, urged the protesters.

Student Hostels Contract Workers Association District President V. Yashodhara, District Secretary Muddukrishna and others led the protest.