<p>Bengaluru: Women leaders of trade unions affiliated to the Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) on Thursday unanimously opposed the changes proposed by the Centre to the Factories Act and adopted a 6-point resolution at a round table conference.</p>.<p>The round table conference comes in the run-up to the all-India strike on May 20 by JCTU against the Centre’s ‘anti-worker’ and ‘anti-women’ labour codes.</p>.<p>The resolution included opposing the labour codes, opposition to night shifts for women, employing women in hazardous work and opposing the increase in work hours. </p>.<p>It also sought an end to wage discrimination and providing higher minimum wages in women-centric sectors like garments, plantations and so on and ensuring basic facilities for women workers, such as access to toilets, drinking water and so on.</p>.Trade unions defer nationwide general strike to July 9.<p>The unions opposed not including women-centric professions like garments, plantations, beedi, agarbathi and cashew processing with other scheduled employments while increasing minimum wages. They have sought uniform minimum wages. </p>.<p>All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) state secretary Maitreyi Krishnan said: “Workers complained that there are no toilet facilities. As a result, they don’t drink water, which leads to urinary tract infections (UTI) and kidney stones. Also, since they stand and work, they are being affected by polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). Due to these working conditions, a lot of pregnancies are resulting in miscarriages.”</p>.<p>Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president S Varalakshmi highlighted that night shifts would adversely affect the health and safety of women. Leaders pointed out that the entire concept of consent was “mythical,” since those who declined would be fired.</p>.<p>All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) leader D Nagalakshmi also spoke.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Women leaders of trade unions affiliated to the Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) on Thursday unanimously opposed the changes proposed by the Centre to the Factories Act and adopted a 6-point resolution at a round table conference.</p>.<p>The round table conference comes in the run-up to the all-India strike on May 20 by JCTU against the Centre’s ‘anti-worker’ and ‘anti-women’ labour codes.</p>.<p>The resolution included opposing the labour codes, opposition to night shifts for women, employing women in hazardous work and opposing the increase in work hours. </p>.<p>It also sought an end to wage discrimination and providing higher minimum wages in women-centric sectors like garments, plantations and so on and ensuring basic facilities for women workers, such as access to toilets, drinking water and so on.</p>.Trade unions defer nationwide general strike to July 9.<p>The unions opposed not including women-centric professions like garments, plantations, beedi, agarbathi and cashew processing with other scheduled employments while increasing minimum wages. They have sought uniform minimum wages. </p>.<p>All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) state secretary Maitreyi Krishnan said: “Workers complained that there are no toilet facilities. As a result, they don’t drink water, which leads to urinary tract infections (UTI) and kidney stones. Also, since they stand and work, they are being affected by polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). Due to these working conditions, a lot of pregnancies are resulting in miscarriages.”</p>.<p>Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president S Varalakshmi highlighted that night shifts would adversely affect the health and safety of women. Leaders pointed out that the entire concept of consent was “mythical,” since those who declined would be fired.</p>.<p>All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) leader D Nagalakshmi also spoke.</p>
