Women bus conductors in India face several risk factors linked to violence and harassment, including insecurity, lack of access to toilets on duty, and contractual requirements to spend the night alone in the bus when it breaks down. These women are employed by private companies under contract with state public transport authorities; they are paid less than their male counterparts doing the same job and have far fewer opportunities for promotion. After several high-profile cases of harassment and violence against women working in public transport, the Women’s Forum for Change started an initiative to improve working conditions for women conductors. WFC documents and analyses the issues that particularly affect women conductors; it is based on discussions with conductors, trade union representatives, and service providers. While providing recommendations on how these problems can be addressed, the report also highlights ways in which the bus conductor work itself may be transformed so that it no longer links isolation to safety.
Under the law, women bus conductors in India were to be hired on permanent contracts which guarantee them the officially enforced minimum wage, paid leave, and pensions. In practice, this often doesn’t happen. Most workers are employed on short-term contracts that do not guarantee them these benefits. Women bus conductors face occupational problems/injuries resulting thereby to a lower level of efficiency which can be of great concern for them and the city in general. The study revealed that the majority of women conductors are affected by occupational problems such as pain in different parts of the body, repetitive movement injuries, fatigue, stress, and anxiety and thus all these factors may have a significant impact on their job performance and confidence.
Women working in bus conductors are prone to occupational problems. The work is hard, but it’s the work. Women are not used to this kind of work and their body cannot handle the physical strain which makes them feel tired and also complain about pain in different parts of the body. Women bus conductors are subjected to heavy physical load and this was proved when they were able to endure different types of pain in the joints, limbs, shoulders, and palms – these painful conditions can reduce the work efficiency of women conductors which will certainly affect their livelihood and other problems may lead them to leave the job. Women bus conductors are exposed to various health and physical problems. Some of the problems include pain in the hands, fingers, and limbs, headache, gastrointestinal distress, and general body discomfort.