More than 10 trade unions and about 25 crore people are planning to take part in a nationwide strike tomorrow to protest against the central governments “anti-people” policies. The unions that’ll be joining the strike tomorrow include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC and many other sectoral independent federations & associations.
Last year in the month of September the unions had adopted a declaration to go on a nationwide strike in order to seek reversal of many anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies of the government.
The 10 central trade unions (CTUs) said, “The Ministry of Labour has failed to assure on any of the demands of workers which called a meeting on January 2, 2020. The attitude of the government is that of contempt towards labour as we construe from its policies and actions.” The statement also revealed that roughly 60 student organizations and elected office bearers from some universities have also decided to join the strike with an agenda to raise voice against increased fee structure and commercialization of education. “
The trade unions denounced the JNU violence and similar incidents that took place in other university campuses and expressed their complete support and solidarity with the students and teachers all over the country. Not only this, the unions also expressed disapproval over no Indian Labour Conference being held since July 2015, codification of labour laws.
It also added, “As many as 12 airports are already sold out to private hands, 100 per cent sale of Air India is already decided, the decision to sell BPCL taken, BSNL-MTNL merger announced and 93,600 telecom workers already thrown out of jobs under the garb of VRS (voluntary retirement scheme).” Apart from this, the unions are also opposing the privatisation in railways, corporations of 49 defence production units and forced merger of banks.
Joint platforms of about 175 farmers and agricultural workers will extend its support to workers demand and observe 8th January as framing Bharat Bandh along with their charter of demands.
