SHILLONG, May 6: The All Meghalaya Multipurpose Community-Based Rehabilitation Workers Union (AMMCBRWU) passed a resolution during its general meeting on Monday, urging the government to fulfill its long-standing demand for fair compensation for skilled workers.
Affiliated with the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the union represents workers who have completed the Certificate in Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) training and are certified under the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). These members are seeking formal recognition as skilled workers and appropriate remuneration for their services. “We will continue to press the government until we are recognised as skilled workers and paid accordingly,” said AMMCBRWU president H Bamon.
Bamon noted that the union had discussed several pressing issues during the meeting. He pointed out that Multipurpose Rehabilitation Workers (MRWs) and Community-Based Rehabilitation Workers (CBRWs) have been serving under the District Social Welfare department for over two decades — between 20 to 23 years.
Their responsibilities include surveying persons with disabilities, assessing needs, facilitating medical check-ups at government hospitals, and assisting individuals in obtaining disability certificates based on severity.
Bamon highlighted the demanding nature of their work, stating that each CBRW is responsible for 20 to 25 villages, while MRWs cover between 40 and 50 villages — often in the most remote regions of the state.
Despite the significant workload, these workers are paid far below what they deserve. Office assistants receive an honorarium of Rs 12,480, while CBRWs receive Rs 10,114, with no provision for travel or daily allowances.
“The honorarium we receive does not reflect the immense responsibilities we shoulder. Our earnings are insufficient to cover basic living expenses, and we are prohibited from taking up any other work to supplement our income. We struggle to support our families and cannot even dream of living with dignity,” Bamon said.
He added, “Compared to minimum wage or poverty line benchmarks, our honorarium doesn’t even qualify as a daily wage. We are deeply disappointed, as we have not received any increments or relief to cope with the rising cost of living.”
