Dear Comrades,
Trade unions have rejected
Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's appeal to call off the all-India strike on Tuesday.
Dr. Singh reportedly got in touch with the Congress-backed Indian
National Trade Union Congress president G. Sanjeeva Reddy and urged him to
convey his appeal to the apex body of the unions coordinating the strike.
It is the first time since independence that trade unions of all
hues have got together to register their protest on a wide range of issues
stemming out of the liberalisation policy.
“The appeal of the Prime Minister 48 hours before the proposed
strike has no meaning. We are going ahead with the strike. If the government is
seriously interested in resolving the concerns of the workers, it should call
leaders of all trade unions for talks after the strike,” General Secretary of
the All India Trade Union Congress Gurudas Dasgupta told The
Hindu.
In a statement, Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said: “Most
of the issues relating to labour raised by the central trade unions have
already been addressed to a substantial extent. However, I do assure all them
that I am always open to discussions on any of the issues relating to labour at
any time and resolve the same amicably through consultations.”
Workers of all 11 recognised
unions (to be recognised, a union has to have 4 lakh members on its rolls) and
5,000 un-affiliated unions would strike work on Tuesday. It will impact the
banking, postal, ports and government sectors.
The demands of the unions include strict enforcement of all basic
labour laws without any exception or exemption, stringent punitive measures for
violation of labour laws, universal social security cover for the unorganised
sector workers without any restriction, and the creation of a National Social
Security Fund.
The charter also seeks stoppage of disinvestment in Central and
State profit-making Public Sector Undertakings.
The trade unions want the government to step in against giving on
contract work of permanent/perennial nature and to ensure payment of wages and
benefits to contract workers on a par with those to regular workers of the
industry/establishment.
Their other demands include amendment of the Minimum Wages Act
to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules, fixation of
statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs. 10,000, removal of all ceilings on
payment and eligibility of Bonus and Provident Fund, and increase in the
quantum of gratuity and assured pension for all.
Mr. Dasgupta said that despite several representations in the past
few months, the government had been unmoved on the major concerns of the
working people.
The annual Indian Labour Conference on February 14 and 15 in the
presence of Dr. Singh articulated most of the demands and conveyed to him why
the workers were compelled to take recourse to strike.
However, there was no response either from him or the Labour
Minister.
· “Government should call
leaders of all unions for talks after the strike to address concerns”
· Unions demand strict
enforcement of all labour laws without exception
The
Hindu
