Grameen Mazdoor Sabha
The initiative to form a rural workers union was started in Gujarat from the Panchmahal District. After several meetings from May 2005 with local leaders and rural workers, the Gramin Mazdoor Sabha, the first union of rural workers in Gujarat was formed. It was decided at the conference to implement the NREGA in the four districts of Dang, Panchmahal, Narmada and Sabarkantha. In a public meeting and a rally on May Day in 2007, about 4000 people reached the Collector’s officeand submitted a memorandum demanding work under NREGA and proper implementation of the provisions of the Act. The GMS also organised village level and taluka level awareness workshops for activists that was instrumental in ensuring that all families that had demanded work received 100 days of work and were paid more than 100 Rs. per day. A case has been prepared to file in the high court with proper proof against the administration of the Shahera taluka for not providing job cards to the union members and work. The GMS in 2008 also ensured that nuclear families were taken as the basis for job cards. They have also ensured payment of minimum wages to all workers. In addition they have ensured settlement of accident claims at worksites. When repeated complaints to the district administration for conducting ‘relief work’ for employment in the village in Khanpur taluka did not work, the union filed a Special Civil Application at the Gujarat High Court. They demanded that employment be provided to them or else they are paid unemployment allowance as per the provisions of the Act. The High ordered in favour of the union and ordered the district administration to provide work or else pay unemployment allowance. This has been an instance of exploring the scope of the law and getting a judgement out in favour of the workers.