Brick kiln workers allege exploitation in Punjab

A brick kiln union today alleged that around 40 per cent of workers in Punjab, most of whom are women and children, are exploited by owners.
More than 2,700 brick kilns in Punjab employ around 6 lakh workers and most of them are from the marginalised sections of the society, said Jai Singh, general secretary of Brick Kiln and Construction Workers Union Punjab who have prepared a comprehensive report on it.
Brick kiln workers are subjected to exploitation and worst forms of human practices, along with violation of labour laws, he said.
An NGO, Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan, have found in its survey among brick kiln workers that labour conditions of workers and their family members in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts fall within the definition of bonded labour, Singh said.

The union has demanded that brick kiln workers should get provident fund and medical facilities, separate toilets and bathroom for men and women at kilns and also implementation of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) for children of brick kiln workers.