The central trade unions today resolved to stay on course and hold nationwide strike on September 2 despite being ditched by BJP affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS).

 

The strike is against the anti-worker policies 0f the government. Ten trade unions had given a 12-point charter of demands to the government and two rounds of discussions took place.  However, the unions did not find the talks fruitful.

 

 “The government talks about foreign direct investment. But the one who invests gets everything while the working class gets nothing. Workers have never faced such kind of humiliation since independence,” said Ashok Singh, national vice president of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC). 

  

Meanwhile, Gurudas Dasgupta, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress said that the trade unions are eager and ready for a discussion on their set of demands even after the September 2 strike.

   

“We had postponed the strike, which was to be held in July because of BMS. But it is unfortunate that it has pulled out. We appeal to BMS not to oppose the strike, if not join the same,” he said. 

 

BMS has decided to opt out of the strike. “In talks on August 26 and 27, the government has agreed to some of the demands put forth by trade unions and has assured that it will continue with discussions on other issues. BMS has now decided to postpone the strike and has asked its affiliates to withdraw the strike notice as well,” said BMS general secretary Vrijesh Upadhyay.

 

G Sanjeeva Reddy, president of INTUC has told Governance Now that the government's proposal has not met the expectations of trade unions. “The government has just given the assurance. There is no concrete proposal,” he said.

 

An inter-ministerial committee, headed by finance minister Arun Jaitley, on Thursday had proposed to significantly increase minimum wages, suggested an increase in the bonus ceiling as well as widening the coverage of provident fund and health insurance to include construction as well as workers in central schemes such as aanganwadis. The proposal also includes increasing the ceiling on bonuses from the current Rs 3,500 to Rs 10,000 and increasing the eligibility for such payments to workers earning up to Rs 20,000 a month as against Rs 10,000 at present.

 

There are 13.49 crore registered members of trade unions, which are expecting around 40 crore organised and unorganised workers to join the proposed strike.