The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), backed by the RSS, has called upon all its affiliated unions and federations to serve strike notices between August 12 and 17 to make the all-India general strike on September 2, called by 11 trade unions, a success.

The unions have given a strike call on a 12-point demand charter, which includes opposition to recent changes in key labour laws, against disinvestment and privatisation of public sector units, growing ‘contracterisation’ of labour, among others.

In response to the strike call by the national convention of trade unions in May 2015, the government had set up an inter-ministerial committee to iron out issues with trade unions, and had met on July 19.

However, BMS said the government went ahead and “hurriedly” amended some labour laws without taking trade unions into confidence.

“On July 20-21, the Prime Minister in his address to the 46th Indian Labour Conference had given an assurance that labour law changes will be done only after tripartite consultations…But Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and some other States have amended certain labour laws, which should be taken back forthwith,” read a statement issued by the trade union.

Referring to strike as the “last resort”, BMS said workers were being forced to adopt this path to secure their rights, and accused the government of making changes in labour laws to serve the interests of employers.

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