Trade Unions call upon workers to remove BJP to save country and to protect workers’ rights as they observe massive strike

Ludhiana, January 8, 2019: The leaders of various Trade Unions including INTUC, AITUC, CITU, CTU called upon workers to be prepared to wage struggles to protect their rights and to remove the rabidly anti worker and anti -national Modi led BJP government at center. Addressing a massive rally held outside main bus stand at Ludhiana various speakers said that this strike is being organized jointly by all central trade unions, Industrial workers, Construction Workers, Rehri Fari Workers, Municipal Corporation Workers, Bhattha Mazdoors, Federations & Associations of employees of Banks, Insurance, Railways, Defense, Telecom, Electricity, Punjab Agricultural University(PAU), Medical Representatives, Teachers, Health Workers, Khet Mazdoor, Anganwadi, Aasha workers, mid-day meal workers, the state and central government employees including independent trade unions. The formal and informal workers including those engaged in agriculture and self-employment and un- organized sectors are too part of this strike. Terming the Modi led BJP government as totally anti worker and pro corporate they strongly criticized the decision of the union cabinet to amend the Trade Union Act which was achieved by the workers after hard struggles in 1926 according to which the workers had right to form independent trade unions. But with the new amendment the government will have prerogative to recognize any union or not thus propping up puppet unions. This will hit the workers’ interest seriously. The trade union leaders alleged that the labour law violations are rampant in the country such as resistance to unionisation, non- implementation of equal pay for equal work and minimum wages, denial of maternity benefits to more than 90% of women work force. The contractorisation and out sourcing has become a norm which further depresses the wages of workers while denying all kinds benefits which regular workers draw. The trade unions are demanding substantial budget allocation to be part of the enactment for the social security to the unorganized sector work force. The workers are demanding for job creation, check on the falling employment opportunities. They are also opposed to disinvestment of public sector and FDI in finance sector and retail trade etc. The trade union leaders said this strike is to demand from the govt. to fill all the vacant posts on regular basis, to regularize the services of daily wagers; contractorisation of jobs should be stopped and all should be regularized; including the workers employed throughout sourcing; minimum wages to be Rs.18000/- for unskilled workers; minimum of 200 days work should be ensured for MANREGA workers at a daily wage of Rs.600/- per day; regularization of services of Aanganwadi, Asha, mid-day meal workers and rural chowkidars. The out sourcing of jobs must be stopped. They also demanded that Pension should be given at the scheme which existed before 1st January 2004. They also demanded pension for all people after the age of 60 years to be Rs.6000 per month. The rights of agricultural labour be protected and they be allotted 10 Marla plots each family. Rights f farmers be protected by implementing the recommendations of Swaminathan commission. The workers also demanded that budgetary allocation for health and education be made 6% for each of these so as to ensure universal health and education. Labour laws should be implemented effectively. Misuse of police against workers should stop. They also said that working women are worst sufferers in the pursuit of neo liberal economic policies by the governments which is resulting in the rising cost of living and no secured income to the families. The violence on women is rising and new kind of slavery is being imposed on them in the export promotion zones. The speakers while deploring the Central and state Governments’ failure to check price rise of essential commodities are demanding universal pubic distribution system, provision of cheap ration, check on hoarding and black marketing, end to future trade in grains, and system of price fixation among other steps to control prices. The rally was addressed among others by Com Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon, Shri Gurjit Singh Jagpal, Com D P Maur, Com Jatinder Pal, Com. Tarsem Jodhan, Com Paramjeet Singh, Com Gurnam Singh Sidhu, Com Gulzar Goria, Prof. Jaipal Singh, Com Raghbir Singh Benipal, Com M S Bhatia, DrArun Mitra, Com Subhash Rani, Com Naresh Gaur, Com Vijay Kumar and others.