NASHIK :
In times of when industries are opening gradually and the labour force is returning back to work amid Rs 20 lakh crore package by the government, affiliated trade unions in the city are holding a strike on July 3 in protest against changes in labour laws and privatisation besides pressing for their 12-point charter of demands. The city units will join the nationwide protest called by trade unions.
All participating trade unions and its members will hold protest in front of their offices and company gates. A human chain will be formed by office-bearer’s opposite district collectorate, informed senior labour union leader, Dr D L Karad, in a press conference.
“The senior leader alleged that state govt is also not paying heed to the demands of especially the construction workers. Despite the availability of labour welfare fund for construction workers, the govt has paid just Rs 2000 as economic assistance to them, The honorarium of these workers has also not been hiked since long and no decision yet taken on vacant posts and permanent service to contractual labour. Hence we are supporting the nationwide strike on July 3, apprised Dr Karad.
Farmers, farm labourers and students have extended their support, he said. Raju Desale of AITUC, S V Zarande of the state employees union, Mohan Deshpande and CITU leader Seetaram Thombare were present.
Ten central trade unions including Indian National Trade UnionCongress (INTUC) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) have called for a nationwide protest on July 3 against alleged anti-worker and anti-people policies of the government.
A joint forum of 10 central trade unions have called for another round of nationwide protest on July 3, second in less than two months, demanding an immediate halt to changes in labour laws and government’s aggressive privatisation drive.
Apart from INTUC and CITU, the other eight are All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC).
Besides, the trade unions have demanded that the government immediately convene the long-overdue Indian Labour Conference to dwell upon the 12-point charter of demands, the labour and trade union rights, issues of job losses, wages, job security, the migrant workers’ issues including their journey to home and return journey to those who desire to join back their work, instead of frequently meeting only the employers and corporates organisations.
The jobless are more than 14 crores and if the daily wagers/ contract/ casual workers are added, the number swells up to more than 24 crores who are out of livelihood at present, they said.
“The so-called Rs 20 lakh crore package of the government is nothing but a hoax and cruel joke on the suffering people,” they said.
The unions also alleged that the central government has most insensitively dealt with the problem of COVID-19 as a law and order issue instead of treating it as a medical emergency for the human being and society.
