New Delhi: The Central Trade Unions (CTU) have called for a strike across the country on Friday to express their disagreement with the Central Government’s “unilateral labour reforms and anti-worker policies”.

New Delhi: The Central Trade Unions (CTU) have called for a strike across the country on Friday to express their disagreement with the Central Government’s “unilateral labour reforms and anti-worker policies”.

The unions have claimed that this year’s strike will be bigger as the number of striking workers is expected to swell as much as 18 crore, larger than last year when around 14 crore workers participated.
Gurudas Dasgupta General Secreatary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) said, “Most important is control of inflation, particularly the food inflation, social security for the unorganised labour, minimum wage for all unorganised should be Rs. 18,000, road is an investment for profit making public sector, low margin of banks etc are the main demand on which we are going on strike.”

Essential services such as banking, public transport and telecom will be affected by the strike.
The CTUs will strike work protesting against what they call the government’s apathy towards their 12-point charter of demands including a monthly minimum wage of Rs. 18,000, controlling price rise and assured minimum monthly pension of Rs. 3,000.

However, Indian Railways and other central government employees will not participate in strike as government has already constituted a committee to look into their demand of raising monthly minimum wage from Rs 18,000 to about Rs. 26,000 under the 7th Pay Commission.

Resonating similar sentiments, Roman Pandey of Indian National Trade Union Congress told ANI that they are against the handing over of defence and railway industry to the private players.

“We want that ILO conventional 87, 98 needs to be ratified because this gives protection of job security and social security to working people and they have the right to join union of their choice, they can go for collective bargaining. These global rights are being denied by the government. wherever the assured in Geneva in ILO that we are going to ratify, we are fighting for that,” he added.

The Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) has decided not to participate in strike.

“We gave the notice to the government, but when the government took the step forward then we decided to withdraw from the strike. The effect of strike is not visible, as the entire rail system is working. They have tried a lot to mislead the people but that phase is over, now no one from Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh will be part of this strike,” BMS organising secretary Pawan Kumar told ANI.

Last year also on September 2, the union has opted out of the strike at the last moment.

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Strike September 2 nationwide strike to be bigger than last years: Unions

Sept 2 nationwide strike to be bigger than last year’s: Unions

New Delhi: As many as 10 central trade unions will go ahead with the general strike on Friday saying the government gave no heed to their 12-point charter of demands and is continuing with unilateral labour reforms.

CTUs claimed that over 15 crore workers are likely to participate in the strike and it will be bigger than the one held last year as members of BMS will also support them.

RSS-affiliated Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is the only major trade union which has opted out of strike – like last year – which was also held on September 2, in view of the assurances given by the government.
“Some leaders of Bmshave decided not to go on strike. But its state units would participate in the strike. Workers will give a befitting reply to the dubious activities inspired by the government,” CITU General Secretary Tapan Sen said here in a joint press conference by 10 CTUs here.

CTUs reiterate the call for countrywide general strike on September 2 against the “anti-worker and anti-people policies” of the government and in view of its “utterly unresponsive and undemocratic attitude”, Sen added.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said the unions view the announcements made by Ministers’ panel, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, as an eyewash.

“It is like cheating the people,” she said, adding that this time the number will be bigger than 15 crore who participated in the general strike last year and more than 10 states will have bandh-like situation.
Strike is going to be complete in industrial sectors such as transport, financial, power, coal, textile, port and dock, automobile, steel, oil, defence production, scheme, education and Central and State government employees, Kaur added.

Referring to BMS decision not to participate in the strike, Kaur said: “Government has not had a single meeting with the CTUs in over a year and is talking to those (BMS) who have not given a strike notice.”
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Vice President Ashok Singh said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his fight is with poverty, but it seems his fight is with the poor in this country. The government’s decision are totally pro-capitalist.”

CTUs expressed dismay over “utterly negative” attitude of the government on basic demands of workers on minimum wages as per consensus formulation of Indian Labour Conference, on universal social security including pension for all workers including those in unorganised sector, among others.
They added that government is dragging its feet over the mass scale contractorisation of permanent and perennial work.

Attacking the government’s initiatives on labour reforms, the unions said: “All these proactive initiatives militate against the basic interests and rights of the working people. Even the non-striking CTU (BMS) also officially recorded its opposition.

PTI

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