I have come from quite far in Delhi to Gurgaon - to work.
In Delhi it is quite difficult to find work.
The population is growing so much that there is shortage of employment.
I have a home in Delhi, but i am forced to live in a room here -
for the sake of work, for money.
How many hours do you work?
Salary?
No hours?
8 hours a day and after that - overtime. Till midnight.
Sometimes it can take the whole night.
Or 4 hrs overtime daily. We get single overtime.
Usually single overtime?
Most single.
Sometimes for two hrs we get double - only for 2 hrs.
Is is usual to work for 12 hrs?
Yes, 12 hrs is usual for everybody.
Whether it is a helper or somebody else. It is usual to work 12 hrs.
If there is an urgent order, can it also be 16 hrs?
16 - it can also be the whole night - till the morning.
What is your normal salary per month?
Normally, it is Rs. 6000-7000. Including overtime and everything else.
What do the helpers get?
Rs. 3500 - 3800.
Including night shifts and overtime it comes to about Rs 5000 - 5500.
It includes overtime?
Yes.
How many people work in the whole industrial area?
There are 1000 workers in each factory.
So depending on the number of plots, there are that many workers.
They could be 100,000?
More.
More than 100,000?
Yes.
They are all from other states. Nobody is from here.
They come from far - Bihar, Rajasthan, Bengal. Everyone is from outside.
Nobody from Haryana?
Very few from Haryana.
Out of 100, only 5 or 10. All others from outside.
In the factory there are people from Bihar and other areas.
Does this create a problem between people? Any tension?
No. No tension between people.
Everybody works together like brothers. Nothing like that.
Good.
Everybody lives together.
In companies there are some troubles - because of work and money.
We do not get fair payment.
What can you do to improve the situation?
Do you have any suggestion?
To make things better we must make a union. We must have membership.
Then we can complain about unfair treatment. Then the union will act.
What if you complain in the company?
Nobody listens. The government does not listen. They are all corrupt.
Can you not complain to the Labour Commission?
The Labour Commissioners are all sold out to the big industries.
The company buys them.
If a worker complains, the Commissioners inform the company that some worker came to make a complaint.
That worker gets thrown out and nothing else happens.
If somebody else complains they throw them out too.
So there is no way of complaining?
We do not have a permanent job.
If we want to work, if we open our mouths, we open the lock - straight out.
If we talk, we are out. If we want to work, we must stay quiet.
But there are so many signs with job offers at the factory gates?
Yes...
If you leave one job, because the conditions are not so good,
is it difficult for you, as a skilled worker, to find another job?
It is difficult.
But there are so many signs...
They mean nothing. They are just a show.
They take the people they know, not outsiders.
Like we are all standing here, the master who holds the slip, he will make a signal,
the worker will raise his hand, and they will take them inside.
Is this all appearance?
Yes, they employ only the people they know.