Bar workers have no rehabilitation hopes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the State Government has decided to constitute a committee to come out with suggestions on rehabilitating the 15,000-odd employees of non-five star bar hotels who may be rendered jobless, no serious discussions in this regard are taking place. The committee to be headed by the Excise Commissioner will have officials of other departments like the Labour Commissioner, Social Welfare Director and members of the Industries Department as its members.

Excise Commissioner Anil Xaviour said once the Government issued formal orders constituting the committee, it would initiate discussions on rehabilitating the bar employees. "We have to get opinions from various departments on how they could rehabilitate the employees. Based on those opinions we will have to evolve rehabilitation plans," said the Excise Commissioner. Meanwhile, bar employees have no faith in the Government's offer to rehabilitate them, citing the fate of the employees of the 5,000-odd arrack shops. Though thousands of workers of arrack shop workers were rendered jobless, only around 250 could be given employment by the Government and that too after a decade and several rounds of legal battles.

"The Government's offers often remain on paper. The assurance of providing Onam assistance of Rs 5,000 each to employees of the 418 bars which still remains on paper is an instance of this," said Bar Hotel Workers Action Council general convener Shibu Kizhakidom. On an average, bar employees earn around Rs 15,000 a month by way of salary and tips. A sudden job loss would badly affect their families, sources point out. The State Government had earlier decided to impose an additional cess of five per cent on liquor for the rehabilitation of bar workers. Further steps on their rehabilitation would be taken only after the court verdict in the case.