Trade unions hold protest against labour Bills

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 2

Demanding withdrawal of Code on Wages Bill 2019 and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill 2019, trade unions held a massive protest rally at the railway station inb Ludhiana today. It was followed by a march to Clock Tower Chowk. The protest was organised in response to a call given by the central trade unions.

Addressing the rally, trade union leaders said the government had reduced 44 laws - giving rights to the workers on various issues - to just four codes. “These will outrightly serve interest of the capitalists and security to the workers will be finished. None of suggestions given by the central trade unions has been given any consideration by the government,” they said.

The protesters further observed that while the 7th Pay Commission of the government had recommended Rs 18,000 as the minimum wage, the Union Labour Minister, on his own, announced the minimum wage at Rs 4,628 which worked out to be around Rs 154 per day. This had seriously hurt crores of workers, they added.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill introduced by the government also came under sharp criticism with the trade union leaders asserting that it had totally ignored the conditions of the workers’ safety and health. The Bill would be applicable to the enterprise with 10 or more workers which were very few in numbers. “Over 93 per cent of the total workforce of 54 crore people is in unorganised sector who do not find any place in the Bill,” they said.

It was further pointed out that the15th Indian Labour Conference had recommended a formula for calculation of wages. The Supreme Court in Raptakos Judgment had recommended 25 per cent increase in that, but despite repeatedly taking up the issue in the 45th and 46th Indian Labour Conference, the suggestion was ignored. Even the rights to strike and unionise were being taken away, the speakers rued.

Prominent among the speakers were MS Bhatia, Ramesh Rattan, Jagmohan Singh, Paramjeet Singh, Vijay Kumar, Gurnam Sidhu, Lakhwinder Singh, Rajvinder, Harjinder Singh and Surinder Singh.

Representatives of various trade unions, including AITUC, CITU, INTUC, HMS, CTU Punjab, Moulders and Steel Workers Union, Karkhana Mazdoor Union, Jamhoori Kissan Sabha, Association for Democratic Rights, ASHA workers, Rehri-Fari Union Class IV Union, joined the protest.

‘Workers’ safety and health ignored’ 

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill introduced by the government also came under sharp criticism with the trade union leaders asserting that it had totally ignored the conditions of the workers’ safety and health. The Bill would be applicable to the enterprise with 10 or more workers which were very few in numbers. “Over 93 per cent of the total workforce of 54 crore people is in unorganised sector who do not find any place in the Bill,” they said.