Eleven central trade unions, including the Congress-backed INTUC, will hold jail bharo , satyagraha , mass squatting in all State capitals and industrial centres on November 8, followed by a call for general strike.

The unions are demanding “concrete measures” from the Government to contain price rise, link employment protection with concessions/incentives offered to entrepreneurs, strict enforcement of labour laws and stiff measures against violation, universal social security cover for the unorganised sector workers and creation of a National Social Security Fund and a halt to disinvestment in central and public sector undertakings.

This was decided at a national convention held here on Wednesday.

The convention felt that joint action was needed as the Government was unresponsive to workers' concerns. “Disinvestment of shares is being actively pushed through to facilitate phased privatisation of highly profit-making PSUs. Existing labour rights, including right to form unions and to social security and pension are being sought to be curbed through various legislative and administrative moves. Mass-scale contractorisation is continuing and such workers are not being paid even statutory minimum wages in most places,” the joint declaration said.

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