Workers Pledge To Unite And Fight For Their Rights

Ludhiana, May 1, 2016: Congratulating the workers for their united voice against the central governments scheme to reduce interest on EPF and force the government to restore the same, Com Bant Brar – President All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Punjab while addressing rally to pay homage to the martyrs of 1st May who laid down their lives for the cause of working class for 8 hours duty and also to highlight the problems being faced by the workers in India today, the Joint Council of Trade Unions and Hosiery Workers Union organized at Dana Mandi, Jalandhar Bye Pass, Ludhiana.

He said that the workers will continue to struggle not only for their rights and oppose the economic policies of sellout of the nation by the BJP government which have resulted in untold misery of the majority of the people of our country but also to defend the secular democratic values of the country.

He said that the working class waged relentless struggles to get the rights due to them which had been denied since ages; these include 8 hours duty, job security, right to form unions, minimum wages, Provident Fund, Medical facilities, retirement benefits and for regular revision of wages as per the price index. They also struggled along with other sections of the society for building public sector which includes nationalization of banking, insurance, transport, power sector, mines, railways, telecommunication, education and research etc. which ultimately benefitted the poor and middle classes of the society. But after the introduction of Neo liberal Economic Policies which benefitted multinational corporations and super rich, all these gains are being reversed causing misery of the toiling masses in the country. This is visible from changes in labour laws in the name of labour reforms which are in fact anti labour. The laws meant to protect the interests of workers are being violated and flouted even in the public sector units and government is paying no heed to this. Public sector is being eroded and sold out. Whatever is left is also being run as a private industry with outsourcing and employment as casual and contract labour with low wages and no service benefits and perks or regular increase in emoluments. Com D P Maur – Vice President AITUC Punjab and General Secretary Joint Council of Trade Unions Ludhiana said that the martyrs of May day in 1886 laid down their lives for 8 hours duty, but today employees and workers have to do 12 hours duty even in sectors like Banking, Multinational corporations are eating away the small scale industries. The government instead of giving respite to the small scale sector is withdrawing facilities already available to them.

Com Feroze Master – President Hosiery Workers Union said that a movement will be launched soon to protect the rights such as ESI, Provident Fund and regular revision of piece rate as per the price index.

The rally was addressed by Dr Arun Mitra, Com Kewal Singh Banwait, Com Charan Sarabha, Com Gurnam Sidhu, Com Kuldeep Singh Binder, Com Manjit Singh Buta, Com Gurnam Gill, Com Lalit kumar, Com Ram Partap Com Ramreet Yadav, Com Vijay Kumar MC, Com Manjit Singh Gill Roadways, Com Laddoo Shah, Com Baldev Singh Walia PAU, Com Amaranth, Com Ramadhar Singh, Com Chand Mohammad, Com Shafeeq Master, Com Ved Parkash Laloo. Thousands of workers gathered here demanded implementation of labour laws.