The Central Government in a most dubious manner is taking the advantage of Covid-19 pandemic situation for implementing its hidden agenda for privatisation of important public sector including railway, coal and defence, suspension of existing labour laws, increasing daily working from 8 hours to 12 hours, said Dr G Sanjeeva Reddy while addressing the INTUC 302 Working Committee virtual meeting on Friday.
While giving details about the present situation, Dr Reddy emphasized on trade union unity and appealed to the working class to join August 9 CTUC joint agitational programme to support coal strike.
Vice president INTUC, Dr RC Khuntia while addressing said that 14.5 crore MGNREA workers, 5 crore construction workers, 13.9 crore migrant labourers, 2.5 crore international migrant labourers, contract labourers, vendors, shop keepers and 12 crore workers who are working in small and medium scale industries have lost their wage or job for lockdown, shutdown demonetization and GST. But the Government has failed to give financial package to workers of Rs 7,500 per month.
The Government should give compensation to those migrant workers who have lost their life in train and bus accidents while returning to their native places, he demanded.
Ragabeya, Ashok Singh, K Chandra Sekhar, Chandra Prakash Singh, Sanjaya Singh, former Minister Paban Singh Ghatuwar, KK.Nair, K Raju, Hirarn Vora, Sanjaya Gaba and Rakeshwar Pandey spoke.
The INTUC Working Committee unanimously resolved to support on August 9 agitation programme and the coal industrial strike on August 18.