Thiruvananthapuram: The video of a woman, who was forced to unload tiles from a mini truck for the construction works of her house in Sreekaryam evoked sharp criticisms against headload workers on social media. Powdikonam native Divya was forced to unload over 60 boxes of tiles by the headload workers here. The union workers impeded others, including Divya’s brother and his wife from helping her. They waited until she unloaded the entire boxes of tiles. 

The house is being built with the funds granted by the Corporation. Though the construction of the house started four years back, Divya could not complete the work yet due to financial constraints. Being a widow, she has been struggling to meet the expenditure on house construction. She has been continuing the construction of the house from her small earnings from her job at a hospital canteen.

Divya’s brother and wife requested the headload workers to allow them for unloading the tiles. Irked by this, the union labourers declared that only the house owner should unload it. They rang up Divya and urged her to return from the canteen. When she reached home, the workers made her unload the 60 packets of tiles alone.

When the family contacted the employment department, the officials directed the union workers to leave the house. However, the headload workers refused to obey this. 

The loading and unloading work for domestic purposes are exempted from the rules according to Kerala Loading and Unloading Act. However, the headload workers continue to threaten those who build houses and shift houses to embezzle huge amounts as headload workers charge. They even hinder other workers from loading and unloading goods for household purposes. “An employer shall have the right to carry out loading and unloading work for domestic purposes by himself or by employing the workers of his own choice,” reads the Act.