Roll back labour codes: CITU to Centre
On a nationwide call by central trade unions and national federations, thousands of persons associated with the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) and other similar organisations staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Thursday against the four new labour codes enacted by the Central Government and demanded their rollback.
The union members raised slogans against the Central Government calling its policies as anti-worker and anti-people. Similar protests were also held at the district and block levels in the state.
Vijendra Mehra, state president of CITU, said that the four labour codes implemented by the government were anti-worker and would promote bondage labour. He added that with the implementation of the labour codes, about 70 per cent of the industries and 74 per cent of the workers would be outside the scope of the labour laws. “Provisions have been made for severe punishments and fines for workers who go on a strike. Instead of permanent employment, contract and fixed-term employment will be promoted. Increasing working hours from eight to 12 hours will lead to bonded labour,” he added.
Mehra said, “We demand that anganwari, mid-day meal and Asha workers be declared as government employees and the government should provide gratuity and declare minimum wages of Rs 30,000 for workers.
He accused the Central Government of having a collusion with big corporate houses and working for the benefit of them while ignoring the interests and rights of labour and workers by introducing anti-worker policies. Mehra said that the unions would intensify their agitation in the coming days if the Central Government fails to fulfil their demands.
