Regularise Tasmac employees with 22 years of service, says union
At the district conference held at the CITU office on Kamarajar Salai, union leaders demanded the immediate implementation of the Staff Establishment Act, extension of ESI medical benefits to all employees, and an increase in the retirement age from 58 to 60.
P. Ramalingam and A. Sivanarudselvam were elected as the new district president and secretary, respectively, along with a 23-member district committee. The meeting was addressed by Kilvelur MLA V.P. Nagai Mali and concluded with a speech by State general secretary K. Thiruchelvam.
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Hans India
4 days ago
- Hans India
Thousands protest labour codes in a massive rally
Vijayawada: Vijayawada witnessed a massive protest rally on Wednesday, with thousands of workers, employees, trade union leaders, and farmers marching from Canal Road to Lenin Centre. The rally was organised in response to a nationwide strike call by trade unions and farmers' associations, demanding the repeal of the controversial Labour Codes introduced by the Central government. Holding banners, trade union flags, and flexes, protesters raised slogans condemning the policies undermining workers' rights. Prominent leaders, including AITUC state president Ravulapalli Ravindranath, deputy general secretary S Venkatasubbaiah, CITU state president A V Nageswara Rao, and farmer leader Vadde Shobhanadreeswara Rao, participated alongside IFTU state president P Prasad, AIUTUC state Secretary K Sudhir Babu and CPI Vijayawada assistant secretary Nakka Veerabhadra Rao. Workers from both organised and unorganised sectors joined the rally, with AITUC city general secretary Mule Sambasiva Rao and CITU vice-president Durgarao presiding over the public meeting at Lenin Centre. Addressing the gathering, Ravulapalli Ravindranath accused the Narendra Modi-led NDA government of prioritising corporate interests over workers' rights. He criticised the replacement of 44 vital labour laws with four Labour Codes, which he claimed erode protections for workers. Ravindranath highlighted that nearly 50 crore workers, employees, teachers, rural poor, and farmers protested nationwide, declaring the strike a resounding success. Leaders from the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), IFTU, and other unions condemned the Labour Codes for repealing 29 protective laws, extending workdays from 8 to 10 hours, and mandating night shifts for women. They demanded the immediate repeal of the codes, a minimum wage of Rs 26,000, the formation of the 8th Pay Commission nationally and the 12th PRC at the state level, and an end to outsourcing, contractual work, and privatisation. They also called for filling vacant government posts and establishing welfare boards for workers in construction, beedi, auto, porter, and transport sectors. Farmer leader Vadde Shobhanadreeswara Rao denounced the government's anti-farmer and anti-worker policies, urging a united front to oppose them. He demanded the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Prices (MSP), identity cards and loans for tenant farmers, and the repeal of the Electricity Amendment Act, while opposing smart meter installations. The rally saw strong participation from CITU, IFTU, YSR Trade Union, and AIUTUC members, with leaders like Jasti Kishore and Ramakrishna addressing the crowd, reinforcing the call for policy reversal.
India Gazette
4 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
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Trade union protests held across the city in view of nationwide call for strike
Normal life in the city remained largely unaffected despite central trade unions staging protests in several parts of city in view of a nationwide strike call in protest against the four labour codes, contractualisation, and privatisation of Public Sector Undertakings(PSUs) among others. However, traffic was affected on arterial roads such as Anna Salai and in Guindy, Ambattur and Thiruvottriyur. A large number of members and leaders from Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC),All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), HMS, Labour Progressive Federation and others gathered near Head Post Office on Anna Salai. They indulged in sloganeering against the BJP- led central government and its anti-labour policies. They squatted on the arterial road and continued their protests. The protest resulted in heavy traffic congestion from Anna Statue to Anna Flyover. Police arrested over 800 protestors from the avenue and detained them. Explaining the charter of demands, CITU state president said the central government has been functioning with ulterior policy of retrenchment, laying off, introducing contract system in the place of permanent posts and alleged that they have framed new labour code which is anti-labour to achieve ulterior motive. He said the new Farm Acts introduced by the present central government should be withdrawn and the central government should keep the promises given to the farmers. Similar protests held at LIC head office in Anna Salai, near post office in Guindy, railway station in Korukkupet, Maraimalai Nagar, Thiruvottriyur, Ennore and Manali. Heavy traffic was witnessed on Avadi High Road when the police arrested the protesting trade unionists near Ambattur Uzhavar Sandhai. Offices of Income Tax Department, LIC, and central government establishments witnessed poor attendance in view of the strike.
