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Finally! I've been waiting for years it feels like to get this letter. It's where I'm headed next year to start my new life! Well not necessarily "new" life, but you know what I'm saying. Hellooo Chicago!
My friend just applied too and we're going to room together. It's kinda cool because they have apartments instead of dorms. If we get the apartment with a kitchen it's going to be bad news. We have to cook our own food then, ha! We said we're going to be living off Ramen Noodles & Mac n' Cheese. Maybe throw in a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich here and there. I don't care I'm so ready to live independently it's disgusting.
I can't wait to be in the big city away from everything I've had to deal with in this small excuse of a town. I don't think I'm going to ever want to come back once i leave. There's so much else out there and this little town full of people I can't stand is not where I see myself ten years up the road. I don't think that I really hate it here as much as I say I do, I just want more. This isn't what I want for the rest of my life but I didn't mind having it as my hometown as I grew up. It really helped me find out where I want to be, which is anywhere but here. So thank you Brunswick Ohio, you've actually done something good!
But back to my excitement, it's going to be so much fun, can't wait for September to come! I guess I'll go get ready to work now, for like the 5th time this week. Ugh!
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AGAINST BONDAGE: THE STRUGGLE FOR WORKERS RIGHTS CONTINUES
How can a family survive in Delhi on 65 rupees a day? On 14th November 2006, fifteen construction workers approached JNUSU with the complaint that instead of the 70 rupees they had been promised, they were being forced to accept 65 rupees a day. The legal minimum wage for Delhi is Rs. 127.40 per day! The very next day, the contractors threw these fifteen workers out of work, also refusing to pay them any money for work done in November. Faced with non-payment of minimum wages on campus, JNUSU decided to step in. So as to determine the extent of the violations, we undertook a detailed survey at construction sites on campus. But as word reached the contractors, they threatened the workers into silence and obstructed the survey teams. Everywhere we saw an absence of basic facilities like drinking water, no muster rolls were found nor were any crèche facilities available to the workers children. On 22 November, JNUSU representatives met with JNU administration and emerged with a list of promises. We were promised that the workers would be reinstated and arrears would be paid to them. All contractors would be made to pay minimum wages. Muster rolls would be ensured at worksites and supervision of payments would take place. In addition, medical and toilet facilities would be provided to the workers and creche facilities extended to their children. But within a day administration went back on its word. The contractor, Jialal Malhotra, closed work at the SPS site. This was a clear case of coercion, since all these workers are dependent on their daily wages. Faced with looming food insecurity and the approaching winter, JNUSU decided to set up a community kitchen. Following a unanimous all-party call, a delegation met the rector to pressurize for immediate payments. Within two weeks the contractors agreed to make payments. The payments for November were made in full, but arrears were also paid for the earlier months when payments were made according to 65 rupees. This process of payments was a major step since minimum wages were finally enforced on campus. On 14 December, under instructions from the Engineering Department, the contractor Chaudhary arrived and set his men to breaking the workers jhuggis. For an entire month, JNUSU had been negotiating with the administration on a variety of issues. Yet most demands remained unfulfilled. Hence the decision was taken to enter ad-block through the side-gate. Thirty students led by JNUSU stormed up three flights of stairs, only to find security guards pushing to close the gate, though we managed to wedge it open. Inside, collective energies combine to create an uproar. It takes two more hours and several interactions with JNUTA and administration, before the Vice-Chancellor agreed to accept a memorandum and hold a meeting with us on the issue. As we found, these were not isolated incidents, but the problem of underpayment and casualisation is extremely widespread. In December JNUSU was approached by a group of safai karamcharis and gardeners, employed by the private firm Vayudoot, who are being paid far below the legal minimum wage. Instead of the legal wage of at least Rs 3312 for safai karamcharis (unskilled workers) and Rs. 3736 for gardeners (skilled workers), they have been promised Rs. 2500. Here again, for raising their voices, wages have been delayed, depressed and denied. 46 gardeners have been thrown out and safai karamcharis are working under the imminent threat of retrenchment. Similar is the state of mess workers on campus. .
Despite a sustained struggle by students and workers, the JNU administration as Principal Employer has not taken any concrete steps to enforce workers rights. Worse still, the contractor-JNU administration nexus has stepped up its oppression and compelled these workers to leave JNU. Its effectiveness as a tactic can be seen by the facts that of the 60 families employed on the site, only two remain. Why does the principal employer claim helplessness before the contractors and then work in tandem with them to destroy the workers dwellings? The JNU administration has tried to absolve itself of its legal responsibility and turned a blind eye to bonded labour on JNU campus. How can a campus that seeks international repute violate the most basic labour laws of the land? Such is the situation as it prevails today on campus. The point, however, is to change it. We call upon the student community to join the struggle in large numbers to enforce workers rights on campus. PLEASE JOIN THE MEETING AT JNUSU OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY, 10TH JANUARY 2007 AT 9:30 PM TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE STRATEGY FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION. .
SMASH THE CHAINS OF BONDAGE !!! .
ENFORCE WORKERS RIGHTS ON CAMPUS!!! .
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Sd/-Tyler, VP, JNUSU .
Sd/-Sandeep, Gen.Secy., JNUSU .
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2011 Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award - Suzanne Sobolik - Dickinson - Accepted by Bon Wickenheiser