Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) will organise a mega rally in on December 29 in Thrissur against the anti-labour policies of the State and Centre, INTUC State president R.Chandrasekharan said here on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press meet, he added that the workers will have to start a massive agitation against the governments and the rally will be attended by nearly 1 lakh labourers.
“The Centre has taken away all the labour laws that were gained as a result struggles spanning over 60 years. All PSUs including KSRTC are in a bad shape and the LDF government in Kerala has also left the labourers in the lurch. The rally will be a strong warning against this,” he said. Mr.Chandrasekharan added that the labourers in the country are facing an unprecedented crisis.
“Even workers in the organised labour and public sector organisations are worried. Job security has been destroyed by widespread privatisation. Indian Airlines, Railways, Defence, Ports and Mines have all been privatised and the Central government has already sold 50 coal fields. In the public sector, 32 lakh posts are vacant. India is one of the founding countries of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Decent Work is a policy of ILO, but we are becoming a country with no job security,” he said.
The president alleged that the State government is also following the same route and the reforms in KSRTC are a good example of the violation of labour rights.
“Cashew, coir and handloom industries have come to a standstill. Even the assurances announced by the Chief Minister in the assembly are not being fulfilled. INTUC has conducted nine protests in the last six months and by the end of next month a secretariat march with a participation of over one lakh workers in the construction sector will be held. Plans to strengthen further agitations will be decided at the INTUC State conference starting on December 28 in Thrissur,” he said.
