Tribal construction workers struggle for unpaid wages in Ahmedabad district

By Jag Jivan  

In the Detroj Taluka of Ahmedabad district, a group of tribal construction workers from Gujarat's Mahisagar district and Rajasthan are struggling to recover their unpaid wages after weeks of labouring at a warehouse construction site of a prominent manufacturer of polypropylene composite materials and alloys, used in the automotive and other industries. The workers, including both men and women, were engaged through a contracted and subcontracted arrangement.

From September 3 to October 16, 2025, they reportedly worked day and night on masonry, plastering, and other construction tasks. Among them were eight skilled masons, while the others served as helpers and general labourers. The total wage due to the workers was ₹3,12,000, of which only ₹1,41,000 was paid, leaving ₹1,71,000 still pending.

Following a complaint filed by the workers, the Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan (BMS), an organisation representing unorganised sector workers, approached the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Deputy Labour Commissioner, and the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Inspector on October 18 to seek intervention.

Vipul Pandya of the BMS said that despite multiple meetings with labour officials, the company refused a proposal to make an interim payment of ₹1,00,000 to the workers before Diwali, with the remaining dues to be settled later through a formal hearing. A suggestion that the subcontracted party pay ₹50,000 to help the workers return home for the festival was also not honoured.

According to Pandya, the workers were made to sign payment acknowledgments on the assurance that they would soon receive their wages, but the payments never came. The company has now reportedly withheld payment to the subcontracted party after receiving a notice from the Assistant Labour Commissioner.

“As a result, the workers are trapped between the main company, the contracting and subcontracting units, and the labour department—moving helplessly from one door to another for their rightful wages,” Pandya said. “It has become painfully clear that industrialists and contractors who blatantly violate labour laws no longer fear the Labour Department. Even when workers approach the authorities, the system seems powerless to ensure that they receive their unpaid wages.”