Hamali Workers in Hubballi Demand Scientific Minimum Wages, Social Security

Hundreds of hamali (headload) workers in Hubballi staged a protest on Wednesday, demanding immediate revision and implementation of minimum wages for loading and unloading work on a piece-rate basis. Hubballi is one of Karnataka's major agricultural trading hubs, with a large number of hamali workers employed at its APMC yard.

Hamali workers are an essential part of the agricultural supply chain, manually loading and unloading sacks of grains, vegetables, and other commodities at APMC yards. Their wages are calculated per bag or bundle, leaving them directly exposed to fluctuations in market activity and the rising cost of living.

The protest, organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), began with a march from Basaveshwar Circle to the APMC office at Amargol. The workers, affiliated to the APMC Hamali (Headload) Workers Union and the Karnataka State Hamali Workers Federation, later held a demonstration and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar through the APMC authorities.

The protest was led by Karnataka State Hamali Workers Federation general secretary Mahesh Pattar, CITU district president B.I. Eeliger, and union leaders Basavanneppa Neeralagi, Gurusidappa Ambiger, Manjunath Hujarathi, Hanamanta Ambiger, Kathalsab Mulla and Hussainsab Nadaf.

Central to the workers' demands was the withdrawal of the Cabinet sub-committee constituted to review the recently revised minimum wages. Instead, the unions urged the State government to proceed with fixing scientific minimum wage rates for loading and unloading activities, based on a uniform piece-rate system across Karnataka.

Speaking at the protest, union leaders asserted that minimum wages are a constitutional right. They said workers dependent on daily wages are facing severe economic hardship due to rising prices. The revised minimum wages notification issued by the State government on May 22, 2026, they argued, has failed to fix minimum wages for loading and unloading workers employed in APMCs, mills, warehouses, transport establishments and markets.

The unions noted that the State Minimum Wages Advisory Board has held several meetings over the past three-four years and had undertaken the revision process based on price indices, dividing the State into three zones. However, they objected to the subsequent decision to constitute a Cabinet sub-committee to reconsider the revised minimum wages.

Demanding a scientific and uniform piece-rate system, the workers said the wage structure must take into account the different agricultural commodities handled in APMCs across different regions. Such a system, they argued, would ensure fair compensation and reduce disputes between workers and employers.

The demand for wage revision comes amid a broader push by labour unions to ensure that workers in the unorganised sector, who form the bulk of the workforce, receive fair compensation in line with rising prices. The hamalis have been pressing the government for several years to update wage rates, citing the inadequacy of existing payments compared to the cost of essential goods.

The protest, which was peaceful, drew attention to the precarious condition of headload workers, who often lack formal employment contracts and social security. The unions said the government's failure to implement a fair wage structure has forced many workers to seek additional employment to make ends meet.

Beyond wages, the unions raised a series of welfare demands. They called for the creation of a welfare board for hamalis on the lines of those in Kerala and Maharashtra, and the extension of social security benefits such as provident fund, pension, assistance in cases of natural death and educational assistance through the Karnataka State Unorganised Workers Social Security Board.

The workers also sought a retirement benefit of ₹1 lakh from the APMC Kayaka Fund, uniforms and other welfare measures. They demanded rest rooms and toilets for women hamalis and effective implementation of minimum wages across all workplaces.

Furthermore, the protesters demanded comprehensive social security benefits for workers registered on the e-Shram portal and group housing schemes for hamalis by utilising various Central and State government housing programmes.