The Hindu Business Line : 17 dairy workers’ unions form federation

As many as 17 dairy workers unions in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Goa have come together to form the Dairy Employees Federation of India to lend a new voice for dairy workers, impacted by the country’s rapidly restructuring dairy sector.

Private sector

At a recent meeting attended by high-levels officials from the International Union of Food Workers (IUF), the federation took stock of the current trends in the dairy sector including the increased role of the private sector and weakening of cooperatives.

The unions are apprehensive about job security and introduction of contract labour. “We stand against the employment practice of labour contractualisation (which is immiserating labour) and for job security with fair pay and with safe conditions; and, we will campaign to collectively improve our conditions and re-gain job security and justice for workers in the dairy industry,” the federation asserted in a collective declaration.

Milk output

India’s dairy sector is one of the world’s success stories in farm related activities.

The country emerged as the world’s largest producer of milk in 1995 and has retained the top spot since then. In 2008, milk output aggregated 105 million tonnes.

India’s cattle population is estimated at 550 million, but a large part of it is either unproductive or low-yielding.

Demand expanding

Demand for liquid milk is seen expanding at 3.5-4.0 per cent a year because of rising incomes and demographic pressure.

Representing workers

IUF is a world-wide federation of trade unions representing workers employed in farm activities covering agriculture and plantations; manufacture of food and beverages; hotels, restaurants, catering and tourism services; and all stages of tobacco processing.

It is composed of 397 organisations in 123 countries with an affiliated membership of 2.7 million workers (from unions representing more than 12 million workers).

More Stories on : Trade & Labour Unions | Dairy & Dairy Products

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