Trade Unions reject govt plea to call off strike against labour policies
NEW DELHI: Rejecting the government's appeal to call off the country-wide general strike on February 28, central trade unions are all set to take to the streets cutting across party affiliations.
The Congress-backed INTUC, RSS affliliated BMS and Left's AITUC and CITU, are among the eleven trade unions which have given a call for a day-long agitation against the government's economic and labour policies.
This will be the first time that trade unions of the Congress, BJP and Left are getting together to observe a general strike. The BMS had skipped the last such protest action on September 7, 2010.
The labour ministry has put out appeals to the unions to desist from going on strike saying it would cause colossal economic loss to the country and inconvenience the common man.
Labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge assured the trade unions that the government was ready for discussions to resolve issues amicably. However, trade union leaders say it was too late now to withdraw their strike call.
"A decision was taken three months ago to organise a general strike against price rise. The government had knowledge of it. There is no question of withdrawing the strike. If government wants to discuss, it should call the trade unions," AITUC leader and CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta said on Sunday.
He said all recognized central trade unions, which have a membership of over five lakh people and presence in at least four states, are participating in the strike. "Never before in the history of India has this happened," he said. BMS general secretary BN Rai said all central trade unions had given a joint call and there was no place for individual decision for withdrawal.
"The appeal from the labour minister has no relevance, as the government is maintaining silence on various basic issues of the workers," he said.
The Congress-backed INTUC, RSS affliliated BMS and Left's AITUC and CITU, are among the eleven trade unions which have given a call for a day-long agitation against the government's economic and labour policies.
This will be the first time that trade unions of the Congress, BJP and Left are getting together to observe a general strike. The BMS had skipped the last such protest action on September 7, 2010.
The labour ministry has put out appeals to the unions to desist from going on strike saying it would cause colossal economic loss to the country and inconvenience the common man.
Labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge assured the trade unions that the government was ready for discussions to resolve issues amicably. However, trade union leaders say it was too late now to withdraw their strike call.
"A decision was taken three months ago to organise a general strike against price rise. The government had knowledge of it. There is no question of withdrawing the strike. If government wants to discuss, it should call the trade unions," AITUC leader and CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta said on Sunday.
He said all recognized central trade unions, which have a membership of over five lakh people and presence in at least four states, are participating in the strike. "Never before in the history of India has this happened," he said. BMS general secretary BN Rai said all central trade unions had given a joint call and there was no place for individual decision for withdrawal.
"The appeal from the labour minister has no relevance, as the government is maintaining silence on various basic issues of the workers," he said.
--
S.S.Mahadevaiah
General Secretary
All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union