Grain market workers protest, demand fixed schedule for all market activities

On Thursday, workers from the Sirsa grain market staged a protest demanding fixed working hours and an end to 24 to 36-hour shifts they were forced to endure. The workers gathered outside the Market Committee office, raising slogans and halting work to voice their concerns. They claimed that they were being treated like robots, with no breaks or rest periods during their long shifts.

The workers pointed out that while the government and the administration recommended an eight-hour workday, the Market Committee and commission agents had not enforced these guidelines. In response to the protest, the workers submitted a memorandum to the Market Committee secretary, demanding a clear, fixed schedule for all market activities. They specifically requested that loading work be limited to the hours between 11 am to 11 pm, with trucks parked outside the designated yellow line in the market area to ease congestion and improve working conditions.

The workers’ union also raised concerns about the lack of proper space for loading and unloading. They said the current arrangements were inadequate, with no room to move freely. In some cases, the workers had to carry heavy sacks of grain over long distances. The union claimed that the Market Committee was not doing enough to address these issues, which had led to increasing frustration among the workers.

The protest also highlighted the negative impact the long hours were having on the workers’ health. According to the workers’ welfare society, many workers were falling sick due to exhaustion and poor mental health caused by the constant pressure. The society warned that if the administration and commission agents continued to ignore their demands, they would intensify their protest.

In the meantime, the workers announced that the market would remain closed the following day if their demands were not met. They also stated that this issue has been ongoing for years, and despite repeated complaints to the Market Committee, no solutions have been provided.