Trade unions slam Centre’s economic policy

Alleging that the country is witnessing a massive job loss and entrenchment,the agitating trade union leaders said the government should take immediate steps to stop it or else they would launch a country-wide movement in February next year to press their demands.

Addressing the workers,CITU president M K Pandhe said rise in price of essentital commodities,closure of industries and “rampant violation” of labour laws have made the life of the working class miserable across the country and charged the government with being completly indifferent towards these issues.

Stating that a large number of youth are unemployed in the country,Pandhe said the government should implement NREGA programme in urban areas too so that urban poor can also be benefitted by it.

Government should bring in legislation to protect the workers of unorganised sector and also create a fund for their social security and swell it by imposing “higher taxes on capitalists”,he added.

AITUC general secretary and CPI MP,Gurudas Das Gupta said,“after many years,all the Central trade unions have come together and there is a likelihood of intensification of the struggle of the worker against government’s economic policy.” Central trade unions had demanded the government to curb price rise,stop entrenchment and job loss,check the violation of labour laws,create a welfare fund for the unorganised labour,stop disinvestment of public sector but none of them has so far been fulfilled,he said accusing the government of being inactive on the issues.

Vice president of INTUC M Raghavaiah said,senior leaders of the Central Trade Unions had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with their 5-point demand,but no action has so far been taken by the government.

“We will continue the struggle till the demands of workers are fulfilled by the government,” he said.