Trade unions call for nationwide protest on July 3

Trade unions under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) has given a call for countrywide protests against the government's anti-labour policies on July 3.

The labour class is in distress following the lockdown. The lockdown had caused immense miseries to millions of workers, farmers and other vulnerable sections of society. The government stood only by corporates and big businesses through its relief package, alleged Sunil Kumar Bajal.

He told reporters on Friday that the diluting of labour laws should be stopped immediately.

The service of corona warriors should be regularised. The government should transfer Rs 7,500 per month for a period of six months to all families outside the income-tax paying bracket. Foodgrains should be supplied to all labourers for a period of six months. The ambit of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) should be extended to all the city dwellers by guaranteeing a minimum of 200 days works.

Arrangements should be made to help migrant labourers travel to their native places and their employment should be guaranteed, he added.

The privatisation of public sector units should be stopped. The scheme workers (Asha, Anganwadi, mid-day meal) should be paid with incentives. The financial assistance announced for unorganised labour class had not reached them so far, alleged Bajal.

Chittaranjan Shetty of INTUC said no financial assistance was announced for beedi workers, tailors, labourers working in hotels, transport sector, street vendors and coolies.

A minimum of Rs 10,000 assistance should be announced by the government immediately, he added.