Sanitation workers protest termination at Patna airport
A private company, which recently took over the contract, dismissed workers above 45 years of age without prior notice, just days after the inauguration of the airport's new terminal on May 29. They were engaged in the sanitation work at the airport and the terminal building.
"The company's decision contradicts govt retirement norms, which set the age limit at 58 years. The Patna Airport Contract Workers Union (CITU) has strongly protested this arbitrary decision. Despite it being Eid al-Adha, numerous displaced workers gathered at the airport hoping to resume work but were denied entry," said CITU President Rajkumar Jha. The union has threatened to launch a movement if the issue isn't resolved after meeting with the airport director on Monday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
5 days ago
- India Gazette
Nationwide strike hits Himachal: Workers, farmers and bank employees rally in Shimla against labour codes, privatisation, and exploitation
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 9 (ANI): As part of the nationwide strike called by central trade unions and farmer organisations, workers across Himachal Pradesh joined protests at district and block headquarters, bringing public services to a near halt in several areas, including the state capital, Shimla. Braving heavy rains, hundreds of workers, including sanitation staff, health workers, bank employees, and anganwadi and midday meal workers, participated in demonstrations demanding the rollback of new labour codes, an end to privatisation, and implementation of long-pending demands. Speaking to ANI, Vijender Mehra, President of the Himachal Pradesh unit of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said the nationwide bandh was jointly called by ten central trade unions, including CITU, public sector federations, and dozens of farmers' organisations. 'This strike is being observed nationwide against the anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate policies of the Modi government. In Himachal Pradesh, too, workers have stopped work completely. Even at IGMC, the largest hospital in the state, employees have joined the strike, impacting OPD services,' Mehra said. 'No garbage has been collected today as all municipal workers are on strike. Street vendors are also off the roads. Even workers in tourism-dependent hotels in Shimla have joined the bandh,' he added. Workers from anganwadi centres, midday meal kitchens, sewage treatment plants, and industrial units staged protests across the state. 'Just as the Modi government tried to hand over agriculture to corporates with the three farm laws, it is now trying to push workers into modern-day slavery through the four labour codes,' Mehra said. 'These codes allow 12-hour shifts instead of 8, reduce the role of the Labour Department, restrict the right to strike, and will cut 8 days' pay for a one-day strike,' he warned. 'This is a corporate-driven programme. Five or six corporate houses, Ambani, Adani, Tata, Birla, and Mahindra, have captured 30 per cent of India's wealth. The Modi government is entirely aligned with their interests,' he said. Mehra said around 17,000 families in Himachal had been displaced from their homes and farmlands due to various infrastructure projects and encroachments. 'National Highways and hydro projects are damaging local homes and farms, destroying land and jobs. These projects serve the interests of corporations, not local communities. That's why we are protesting,' he said. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) also participated in the strike, with employees from nationalised banks, LIC, and GIC joining the protest. Narinder Sharma, Convenor of the United Bank Workers and Officers Union of Himachal Pradesh, has warned that millions of rupees of public money may be shifted to private hands. 'Our union includes four officers' unions and five workers' unions, representing 100 percent of manpower in the Indian banking sector. We participated in this collective strike along with other trade unions on key demands, particularly opposing the privatisation of public sector banks and insurance companies,' he said. 'The government should not reduce its stake in banks below 80 per cent. If it does, it will open the path to full privatisation. This is a direct threat to the financial sovereignty of the country,' Sharma said. 'Labour codes are being used to remove long-standing protections affecting working hours, wages, and service conditions. Public sector banks have played a major role in India's growth and upliftment of the middle class; now this legacy is being dismantled,' he said. 'There is Rs 140 lakh crore of public money deposited in these banks. If privatised, the risk to public trust and security will be enormous,' he added. Thousands of grassroots health workers and Anganwadi employees also participated in the protest. Himi Devi, President of the Himachal Pradesh Skilled and ASHA Workers Union, has warned of an aggressive protest if their demands are not fulfilled. 'For the past 23 years, ASHA workers have been delivering vital health services in Himachal Pradesh, yet they remain underpaid and unrecognised. The government pays just Rs 150 for a delivery case it's an insult to our work,' she said. 'Similarly, anganwadi workers, who have served the state for over four decades, are now being pushed aside. Instead of regularising them, the government is closing centres and shifting children to under-resourced government schools,' Himi Devi said. She pointed out the dire situation of midday meal workers as well. '2,13,000 workers across India are feeding over 5.32 lakh children. But for 16 years, the Centre has paid just Rs 1,000 a month to these workers. How can anyone survive on this?' she asked. 'The High Court has twice ruled that midday meal workers should be paid for all 12 months, but that hasn't been implemented,' she added. 'Also, the condition that an anganwadi needs at least 25-26 children to remain operational is unreasonable in hilly states like Himachal, where population density is low. The unique geography of the state must be considered,' she demanded. 'Today's protest is just a token strike. But if our demands continue to be ignored, we will launch an indefinite agitation until the government responds,' Himi Devi warned. (ANI)
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
Bharat Bandh partially disrupts public services in Visakhapatnam
Public services were partially disrupted across the city on Wednesday due to the Bharat Bandh, called by 10 central trade unions. Protesters took to the streets, blocking public transport, and forcing closure of several government offices, banks, and schools. Some private and corporate schools also voluntarily declared a holiday. The strike was led locally by CITU district general secretary R.K.S.V. Kumar, AITUC district president M. Manmadha Rao, and INTUC district general secretary B. Nagabhushanam. Senior leaders, including CITU state general secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao, AITUC national vice- president D. Adinarayana, and INTUC State general secretary Mantri Rajasekhar, strongly criticised the Union Government's policies and reforms. Speaking at the rally, Mr. Narasinga Rao alleged that the Centre's economic reforms were aimed at weakening the public sector and eroding workers' rights. 'The government is prioritising corporate interests and undermining the public sector, which is a dangerous trend for the country,' he said. A major demand raised was to stop the privatisation of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), particularly the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. Members of the Insurance Corporation Employees Union (ICEU), affiliated with the All India Insurance Employees Association, also joined the one-day strike. Employees from 21 branches in the Visakhapatnam division participated in the protest. Former MLC M.V.S. Sarma, addressing the gathering, condemned the government's push to privatise banks, LIC, steel plants, and other key PSUs. He termed the proposal to raise FDI in insurance to 100% as 'harmful' and criticised the imposition of GST on life and health insurance premiums. He also demanded the immediate repeal of the newly introduced four labour codes, calling them 'regressive' and 'anti-worker.'
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Total shutdown in Kerala as Left activists observe Bharat Bandh
Daily life was significantly affected in Kerala on Wednesday after a forum of 10 central trade unions, including the INTUC, CITU, and AITUC, called a nationwide strike against alleged pro-corporate and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government. Left activists protest during the strike in Kochi on Wednesday. (HT Photo) The state government is headed by Left parties and unions like CITU, the labour wing of the ruling CPI(M), have a deep organisational network in Kerala. Fleets of private buses, state-owned KSRTC buses, and auto-rickshaws stayed off the roads, causing inconvenience to daily commuters and even travellers at airports and railway stations. Trade union activists protested on the streets in major cities like Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode, blocking the movement of passenger buses and freight carriages. A large section of government employees, including cabinet ministers, did not report for work, with minister for general education and labour V Sivankutty too expressing solidarity with the strike as he walked from his residence in the state capital to the local party office accompanied by activists. 'This strike has been organised to fight for the rights of labourers and against the anti-worker labour codes passed in Parliament by the Union government. In Kerala, we have already sent the message that the labour codes will not be implemented. The government must call the labour leaders for talks and discuss their demands. Policies in favour of ultra-capitalists cannot be implemented,' Sivankutty told reporters. Banking operations were also disrupted throughout the state as employees refused to show up for work in solidarity with the national strike. Shops and shopping malls too remained shut, while hospitals and media organisations operated uninterrupted.
