'Scrap Anti-Worker Amendments by BJP Govt': AICCTU
The All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) gave a call for a state-wide protest day that was observed in various districts including, Kolar, Raichur, Hubli-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Kodagu, Koppal, and Bengaluru on June 28th, 2023.
In Bengaluru, AICCTU state president Clifton D’ Rozario said that the workers faced several hardships due to the anti-worker policies of the erstwhile BJP government. However, the present state government must ensure that the demands of the workers are met, which include an increase in minimum wages to Rs. 35,000/-, ensuring job security, complete abolition of contract system in both government and private sectors, etc. Clifton said, “Many governments have come and gone, but the workers continue to suffer economic hardships. We must fight for increase in minimum wages and ensure social security measures and given to us.”
President of BBMP Powrakarmikara Sangha, Nirmala M. said that the powrakarmikas held a four-day strike in July 2022 demanding that the government make their jobs permanent and to bring the auto drivers and helpers involved in solid waste management under the direct-payment system. “The BJP government promised to make the workers permanent, but did not do so. We have hopes from this government, who has earlier increased our minimum wages and abolished the contract system in 2017, to do the same for the workers now,” she said.
AICCTU state secretary P.P. Appanna said that the anti-worker policies, the amendments brought in to factories act and other legislations and the four anti-labour codes must be withdrawn by this government. “The state government must ensure that the four labour codes is not implemented in Karnataka, and ensure that the rights of workers are protected,” he said. He said that there have been several protests of workers in the past years, like the refusal of employment of 80 workers in Indian Telephone Industries Ltd., who have been sitting in protest for over 500 days; workers in Yazaki who were retrenched and the struggles of powrakarmika and garment workers who have been demanding their legal rights. He said that the demands of these workers must be realized.
Several worker leaders from ready-mix concrete companies, ITI, NAL, powrakarmika workers, auto drivers and helpers involved in solid waste management, street vendors, housekeeping and other hospital workers from NIMHANS, Victoria Hospital, St. Philomena’s, construction workers, auto rickshaw drivers, and others were present at the protest.
Memorandum with a list of demands were submitted to the respective district commissioners on the occasion.
