BMS announces five point action plan to counter changes in labour laws

Stepping up its protest against suspension of labour laws and attempts to privatise public sector units, the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has chalked out a five-point action plan, including lobbying with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs to put pressure on the central and state governments to recall anti-labour measures.

The decision was taken at a series of virtual meetings with national office bearers, state General Secretaries and Federation General Secretaries of BMS on Sunday and Monday.

The meetings led by BMS National President C K Saji Narayanan and General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay decided to take forward its opposition to the move, days after it held a nationwide protest against the state governments' move to suspend labour laws and allow employers to increase working hours from eight hours to 12 hours.

During the next one month, the BMS protests will focus on the "pathetic" condition of migrant workers, "huge" job loss, refusal to pay wages, "unilateral" suspension of labour laws and increase in working time to 12 hours and "unbridled" privatisation.

The BMS has voiced its opposition to the government's financial package, which allowed privatisation of vital sectors, including defence production and coal.

While states like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan decided to withdraw orders to increase working hours, BMS leaders said they would continue to fight. The meetings expressed its "anguish on the three state governments for not withdrawing the anti-worker ordinances suspending labour laws as well as the 15 state governments for increasing working time, Upadhyay said.

From June 16 to 30, according to the BMS action plan, its leaders would contact MPs on issues confronting workers due to COVID-19 and to pressurise the governments to change its "perceptions and policies".

It will also form help desks at district level to assist workers in resolving their immediate issues. Several district units have already started this and the remaining would also set up help desks.

"The help desks will give specific attention to migrant workers both at the sending states and receiving states.We will also start help desks to assist contract workers particularly in big industrial areas, PSUs and government sectors. Unorganised sector help desks will also be started to assist agricultural workers, daily wagers, self-employed workers, etc. throughout the country," Upadhyay said.

On May 30 and 31, union level leadership meetings will be organised all over India to discuss issues and trends labour filed. From June 1 to 5, a mass contact programme will be organised to educate workers on the changes that are brought in different fields related to organised and unorganised workers. Pamphlets and poster campaigns will be undertaken.

Seminars will be held on June 13 and 14 on respective industries/sectors related issues like corporatisation of defence production units, PSU in strategic sectors and providing livelihood to lakhs of migrant workers. Keeping COVID-19 situation in mind, the BMS has asked its units to organise localities which have substantial relaxations.