TOBA TEK SINGH, Nov 14: Brick kiln workers took out a protest rally on Friday to press for the acceptance of their demands.

Addressing the participants, the speakers representing different labour bodies said although government had issued a notification regarding fixation of Rs 442 per 1000 bricks wage for the kiln workers, in Toba district 30,000 workers of more than 500 kilns were being paid just Rs 300 per 1000 bricks.

They claimed that kiln owners not only treated the workers as their `slaves’ but also subjected their women to sexual harassment.

They said most of the workers were suffering from TB, hepatitis, skin and abdominal diseases but no health cover under the social security laws was extended to them.

They claimed that labour officers were patronising kiln owners instead of hearing the complaints of the workers.