Female auto driver faces union wrath after 27 years on the road in Kochi

For 27 years, Usha Babu has steered her auto-rickshaw through the bustling streets of Kochi, earning a living and supporting her family with grit and determination. Operating primarily from the Ernakulam South railway station, she was a familiar and respected figure on the roads. However, her life took a shocking turn when she found herself targeted, boycotted, and harassed by the very trade union she had been a loyal member of for decades.

Speaking about her ordeal, Usha revealed how the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has launched a deliberate campaign to push her out of her livelihood. For a woman who has spent her entire adult life fighting the odds, this latest battle against systemic bullying is her toughest yet.

A life of relentless struggle
Usha’s journey of survival began when she was just 17. She left her home to build a life with the man she loved, Babu, which severed her ties with her family. With no safety net, the young couple had to fight for every penny. Babu, who was an auto-rickshaw driver himself, taught Usha how to drive to help ease their growing financial burdens. "Before that, I had a small job. But my income was not enough to meet the household expenses and the educational needs of our two children. That was when I entered this profession," she said.

To support her family and fund her two children's education, she officially took to the driver’s seat at the age of 24. For nearly three decades, she managed her schedule around her children's school hours, balancing the roles of a dedicated mother and a hardworking breadwinner.

“It has been a struggle for survival ever since. I educated my children well, and my daughter is now married. We had a son, but he died three years ago," she said.

Tragedy strikes the family
Just as life seemed to stabilise, tragedy struck. Her son, who was the family’s greatest hope, graduated as an engineer and secured a promising job three years ago. But before he could start his career and support his ageing parents, he passed away due to a sudden medical complication that started as a simple stomach ache. The loss shattered Usha and her husband, who is now physically frail and unable to work. Today, the entire financial responsibility of the household rests on Usha's shoulders, making her auto-rickshaw her absolute lifeline.

"If my son were alive today, we would not be in this situation. He would have taken good care of us," she said.

Standing up to union high-handedness
“From the time I started this profession, I was part of the CITU. That was the union at the stand. I took membership after Vipin, who was my son’s friend, suggested it," she said.

Usha’s troubles began when she dared to question the local CITU stand secretary. According to Usha, the secretary had been operating without a valid driving licence and had assumed his leadership position through questionable means. When she voiced her objections to this, she became the target of a personal smear campaign. Soon, the union leadership declared that she would no longer be allowed to operate her vehicle from the stand.

Boycott, violence, and unexpected support
Of the 50 drivers operating at the stand, Usha was the sole remaining female driver. Yet, none of her 48 male colleagues stood up for her. Usha explains that they remain silent out of sheer fear of the local union leadership, knowing that showing solidarity would invite similar retaliation. Both Usha and Vipin were subsequently expelled from the union. The harassment quickly escalated from verbal threats to physical attacks. Vandals have repeatedly thrown stones at her auto-rickshaw and tried to damage the vehicle to keep her off the road.

Despite the intimidation, Usha is resolute. She refuses to back down, stating that she must drive to survive. While other major unions remained silent, the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) stepped in to support her, offering her membership and standing by her during this crisis.

“I do not know any senior leaders of the CPI(M), so I have not spoken to any of them. The INTUC, the union affiliated with the party that rules Kerala, has also not intervened in the matter so far,” Usha said.