Mangaluru, Sep 2: Dozens of labourers and activists took part in a protest meet held in the heart of the city of Mangaluru on Wednesday amidst dawn-to- dust Bharat Bandh called by central trade unions against the alleged anti-labour policies of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre.
Addressing the protesters who had converged in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Sadashiva Shetty, Karnataka State Secretary, INTUC termed the proposed changes in labour laws a threat to the security of the working class in the country.
"There has never been a two-pronged attack on the industrial work force as well as on agricultural workers at the same time like it is happening now," he said while raising issues of price rise, employment generation, labour law violations and contractual workers.
CITU leader Vasanth Achary alleged that the Union government is adopting anti-labour policies by making Provident Fund and ESI optional and investing 5-10 per cent of the PF amount of the labourers in the share market.
The Union government has already taken a decision to invest Rs.6,000 crore of the labourers’ money in the share market and has started the process, he alleged.
He said instead of making ESI mandatory, the government is encouraging the labourers to take insurance policies from private companies only for the benefit of private companies and not the labourers.
He demanded that the Union government withdraw the land acquisition ordinance and implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan panel report to help the farmers so that they get scientific price for their agricultural produce.
The so called reform measures of the Modi government will see almost "67% of the enterprises outside the orbit of labour laws," pointed out another protester.
While the land bill is going to affect agricultural workers, the labour law amendments that the government is working on will hit the industrial workers, he lamented.
Also Read: Mangaluru, Udupi join ‘Bharat Bandh’: buses go off road; vehicles stoned
Why the strike
- Trade Unions are protesting against Government for making changes in labour laws
- Reportedly, the trade unions are unhappy over the anti-worker economic policies of the BJP Government
Who all are participating in the Bandh
- Initially strike was called by 11 trade unions including Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh(BMS). But RSS led Mazdoor Sangh backed out later saying that it wants to give government some time to ponder over its decision.
- BMS also appealed others to reconsider their decision of Bharat Bandh and give government some time to stand up on our expectations.
- Rejecting Government, BMS appeal, 10 unions are participating in the all India strike.
- These are CITU, INTUC, AITUC, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, UTUC and LPF.
- All-India Bank Employees' Association and coal unions may join 10 trade unions in their protest.
What are unions' demands?
- Trade unions decided to go ahead with the strike after their talks with a group of senior ministers last week failed.
- It is being said that Unions are against the labour reforms made by the Centre. Government led Committee had recently proposed to significantly increase minimum wages and make them mandatory across the country.
- Unions have total 12-points charter of demands, including withdrawal of the proposed changes in the labour laws and stopping the disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs.
- Reportedly, the Unions demand an increase in the bonus ceiling as well as widening the coverage of health insurance and provident fund.
- The health insurance and provident fund should include construction as well as workers in schemes such as aanganwadis.
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