Over 20 cr workers and farmers to join two-day strike

Ten central trade unions have claimed the support of 20 crore workers for the countrywide industrial strike scheduled to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. They said the strike will be the largest in the history of the country as farmers and agriculture workers have also pledged support.

Anti-labour policies

Talking to reporters here on Monday, leaders of the 10 trade unions said the strike is against the “anti-labour, anti-people and anti-national” policies of the present government. The trade unions had organised two general strikes — September 2, 2015, and September 2, 2016, — against the policies of the Narendra Modi government.

“Even media reported that 16 crore workers participated in the strike in 2016, while our assessment says 18 crore joined. In this strike, we expect more workers to join as farmers and agriculture workers are also helping us,” said CITU National Secretary AR Sindhu.

“The Centre failed to respond, refused dialogue, undermined tripartite mechanism, did not hold Indian Labour Conference for the last than three-and-a-half years and instead, continued its aggressive attack on the livelihood of working people,” the trade union leaders said in a statement.

More allegations

They alleged that attempts are being made to make gross pro-employer changes in labour laws, both piecemeal and also hastening the codification of 44 central laws into four, ignoring the viewpoints of trade unions. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh was part of the two-day strike held in 2013 overthe same demands, but they backed off since 2014 though they support the demands in principle.

They said the Centre is wiping out regular employment by unilaterally introducing fixed-term employment and through the gradual replacement of workers by apprentices in various establishments. “Now the Cabinet has come forth with amendments in the Trade Union Act, 1926. These are irrational, highly discretionary and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of the unions. It is designed with the dubious intention to cripple unions, to promote pocket unions or tout unions,” the leaders added.

When asked whether the strike is politically motivated, the leaders said when the governments turned a blind eye to exploitation of workers, no one felt it was motivated by the corporate houses. “Now, when the workers have started protesting, it is being termed as politically motivated,” said AICCTU leader Rajiv Dimri.

Mass privatisation

They said the policy of mass privatisation of strategic PSUs, crucial infrastructure and public utilities, with defence production and railways thrown open for 100 per cent FDI, is aimed at loot of the national resources.

All India Kisan Sabha leaders Hannan Mollah and Ashok Dhawale said in a statement that farmers’ outfits have given a call for rural hartal , road and rail blockade programmes, synchronised with the strike.

All promises made by the Prime Minister and the BJP government to farmers have been broken. Farmers are being dispossessed and forced into labour in the unorganised sector. This calls for more coordinated action between the working class and the farmers, they said.

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