Workers’ Unions Issue Strike Call on 3 November
Bhagwant Singh Mann government has issued a notification allowing 12-hour working day for industrial workers. While this decision is against the basic spirit of electoral promises made by the current government, it is widely being opposed by all workers and democratic organisations across the state. In Batala and Barnala districts AICCTU and Mazadoor Mukti Morcha members demonstrated at many places demanding immediate withdrawal of this draconian order which attacks fundamental rights of the working class. Workers at many places burnt effigies of the Mann government. Workers’ union in Fauzaria in Batala held a protest rally on 19 October where its leaders including Karamjit Singh Sandhu, Dalbir Bhola, Gurmit Singh Bakhtpura and ECTU general secretary Gulzar Singh Bhumbali accused Bhagawant Singh Mann of working on behalf of greedy industrialists. This is one more blow on the lives of workers after passing four labour codes by the Modi government, said Gurmit Singh Bakhtpura.
AICCTU has called for a wider unity of workers against centre and state government’s continued attacks on the working class. During the last nine years labour offices have been taking anti-workers' stand violating existing laws with full impunity. The government is not reviewing minimum wage rates according to rising inflation and cost of living. Even vacant posts are not filled resulting in increased workload on the workers. More than 95% workers are now forced to work as contract labour under semi-slave conditions devoid of legal Bonus, holidays, and gratuity.
Hundreds of workers also protested in Barnala led by Punjab Mukti Morcha’s state secretary Gurpreet Singh Rureke and Swarn Singh Jangiana.
Punjab trade unions have called for a strike on 3 November against this notification.
