The two-day meeting of Working Committee of AITUC held in the city Monday reiterated the decision of Workers Convention in New Delhi. The meeting was presided over by Com Raminder Kumar, President; Com H Mahadevan, Working President; and Com Baldev Ghanghas, Vice -President; deliberated on alleged anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti people and anti-national policies pursued by the Union Government The meeting, while congratulating the farmers struggle for forcing the Prime Minister to announce withdrawal of the three farm laws, appreciated the cautious stand taken by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to continue the agitation till the laws are actually repealed in the Parliament. The meeting highlighted the four labour codes, rampant privatisation drives, enactment of the Essential Defence Services Act which makes strike in any sector a criminal offence and decided to carry on the decision of the Workers Convention in Delhi to go on a two-day strike during the budget session.

 

It was also decided to to carry out an intensive and extensive joint campaign against the policies through joint meetings, general body meetings, signature campaign, forming human chains, taking out torch processions after sunset, challenging local BJP Member of Parliament through holding press conferences to explain how four labour codes and policy of privatisation and national monetization pipeline is good for the tolling people and any other forms to be decided at State-level during December 2021 - Jan, 2022 to take decision down to people. Following are the demands that will be taken down to the workers and the people: 1) Scrapping the Labour Codes; 2) Repeal of Farm Laws and Electricity (Amendment) Bill. 3) No to privatisation in any form and scrap the NMP; 4) Food and Income Support of Rs 7,500 per month to non-income tax paying households; 5) Increased allocation of MNREGA and extension of Employment Guarantee Scheme to urban areas; 6) Universal social security for all informal sector workers; 7) Statutory Minimum wage and social security for Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day-meal and other scheme workers. The demands also include Proper protection and insurance facilities for frontline workers serving the people in the midst of pandemic; Increase in public investment in agriculture, education, health and other crucial public utilities by taxing the rich through wealth tax etc., in order to revive and revamp the national economy, reduction in Central Excise Duty on petro products.