Trade unions to go on strike on May 22 to protest against dilution of labour laws

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 15

As many as 10 Central trade unions, with the majority of them leaning to the Left, on Friday, announced a face-off with the Union government on May 22 by observing it as a “national protest day” against its policies, including dilution of labour laws.

The unions have also decided to send a joint representation to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in regard to the alleged violations committed by the government in regard to international commitments on labour standards and human rights.

These decisions were taken at a meeting of “joint platform” of these unions. 

They are the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), the All-India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), the Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), the All-India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and the United Trade Union Congress (UTUC).

“The leaders of the unions at the Centre will observe a day-long hunger strike on May 22 at Rajghat, here, with simultaneous protests in the states,” AITUC general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said.

“The unions have resorted to the path of agitation after their individual and collective representations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on labour-related issues were ignored.”

Another leader said the protest would be followed by lakhs of petitions from the unions and their members.

Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, UP Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar and Maharashtra are the states where either statutory working hours have been increased from eight hours to 12 hours or labour laws have been frozen temporarily by executive order.

The demands include annulment of ordinances in some states which have frozen the implementation of labour laws and the decision to increase the statutory working hours from eight to 12 hours.

Immediate relief to stranded workers for safe reaching to their homes, food to be made available to all, universal coverage of ration distribution, wages to all of the lockdown period are some other demands.