Trade unions gear up for nationwide strike

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 4

Central Trade Unions and various independent federations, unions and associations of workers organised a district-level convention at Shaheed Karnail Singh Isru Bhawan for the preparation for the nationwide proposed strike on September 2.

A large number of construction workers, industrial workers, hosiery workers, electricity department workers, bank workers, university employees, roadways employees, teachers, contractual workers, corporation workers and other sections of workers and employees participated in the convention.

The convention was presided over by Comrade DP Maur of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Gurjit Singh Jagpal of the Indian National Trade Union Congress and Comrade Jagdish Chand of CITU.

Speaking on the occasion, Comrade Bant Brar, Punjab AITUC president, said the indifferent attitude of the Centre towards the demands of workers during consultation with trade unions had forced the workers throughout the country to protest for their demands. The government had backed out of commitments at the Indian Labour Conference. The speakers demanded minimum wages to be fixed for unskilled workers at Rs 18,000 per month. These demands were based on formula for wages which had already been unanimously decided by the 15th Indian Labour Conference (ILC) and subsequent add on of 25 per cent by the Supreme Court.

The said formulae had also been the consensus recommendation of the 44th Indian Labour Conference (2012) and again reiterated by the 46th Indian Labour Conference in 2015.

The speakers said the labour laws in the state were being flouted by both public and private sector with impunity. The anti-people stance of the government was evident from its attitude towards the condition of contractual labour.

They demanded an end to contractual labour and end to outsourcing, filling up of all vacant posts in government and semi-government sector on regular basis, to disband the new pension policy effective from January 1, 2004, and implement old pension scheme for all employees. They also opposed the disinvestment of public sector such as Railways, banks, insurance, transport and power sector etc.