Farmers Movement Archive

Trade unions flay Centre’s ‘anti-labour’ policies

Hundreds of members affiliated to various trade unions held a procession and staged a road blockade in front of the railway station here on Thursday, as part of the nation-wide protest condemning the ‘anti-labour’ policies of the BJP government. Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan, who led the procession, said that the Union government had amalgamated 44 labour laws into four codes, which is against the interests of the labour force. “This move of the Union government has undermined the protection given to the workforce all these years,” he said. He also said that the passage of farm bills by the government was against the interests of the farmers. The protesters carried out a procession from the Kattabomman statue near Periyar Bus Stand to the railway station. Members of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress, Labour Progressive Federation and other trade unions took part in the protest. CITU District Secretary R. Deivaraj said that the amalgamation of labour codes by the government was in favour of the Corporate giants. The protesters criticised the privatisation of public sector undertakings. They also demanded the need to provide social security benefits to unorganised workers. The police arrested the protesters, who were then released in the evening. The members of All India Insurance Employees' Association staged a protest in front of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) office at Sellur. They also protested against the disinvestment of shares of the LIC. Members of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union also staged a demonstration against privatisation of public sector units. The protesters, led by divisional secretary J.M. Rafi, opposed the proposed amendments to labour legislations. They wanted the Centre to revoke the order freezing dearness allowance and scrapping of night duty allowance to certain section of railway officials. They also demanded that the old pension scheme must be reverted and raised their voice against allowing 151 private trains on 109 profit-making rail routes. Assistant divisional secretary V. Ramkumar spoke. Theni DMK district secretary Thanga Tamil Selvan has on Thursday said that the one-day strike across the nation by various major trade unions was the beginning of the end for the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu. Speaking at a demonstration here, organised as a part of the nationwide stir condemning the Central government for its anti-labour policies, Mr. Thanga Tamil Selvan said people were in an agitated mood as all policies were against the common man. In similar agitations, trade union representatives staged demonstrations across the district. According to the police, 1,123 people were arrested in the district. Dindigul In Dindigul, former MLA Balabharathi led the agitation in which members of CITU, AITUC and other unions participated. The agitators demanded the Centre to drop the new pension scheme. As many as 1,476 men and women were arrested in the district. Sivaganga In Sivaganga district, demonstrations were staged in Karaikudi, Manamadurai, S. Pudur, Singampunari, Tirupattur and Devakottai. Former MLA Gunasekaran led the agitation near Aranmanaivasal in Sivaganga. Virudhunagar Over 3,000 cadre of various political parties and workers affiliated to different trade unions were arrested when they staged road blockades at 39 places in Virudhunagar district. They condemned the Centre for the new Farm Laws and labour laws. Among those who took part in the protest were workers affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions, All India Trade Union Congress, Labour Progressive Federation, Indian National Trade Union Congress and Hindu Mazdoor Sangh. CITU district secretary P.N. Deva said that among the arrested were 1,531 women.

The Hindu

2020-11-27

Madurai,TAMIL NADU