CITU announces Parliament march for workers’ demands

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has announced a mass mobilisation of workers in Delhi on December 1, 2026, with workers set to march towards Parliament over a range of demands, including the repeal of the Labour Codes, higher minimum wages and the regularisation of contractual workers.

In a statement, CITU said workers across India are facing a “massive policy assault” by Governments at the Centre and in the states while struggling to secure sustainable livelihoods. It alleged that corporate profits are soaring at the same time as public resources and national assets are being transferred to corporate interests.

CITU said the historic February 12, 2026 General Strike, called by the Central Trade Unions with the support of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, brought the anger of the working class to the fore. According to the trade union, the strike was followed, particularly in northern and central India, by a series of spontaneous working-class upsurges, many of which continue.

The organisation said these struggles are a response to the non-revision of minimum wages for decades, violations of the eight-hour working day, denial of overtime wages, bonuses and statutory benefits, inhuman working conditions and the growing contractualisation of employment in both the private and Government sectors.

CITU also alleged that police and administrative authorities in several states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, have attempted to suppress workers’ protests. It referred to the use of the National Security Act (NSA) against activists, saying the action was subsequently quashed by the Allahabad High Court, which also imposed fines on the Noida District Magistrate over what CITU described as misuse of office. The union further said several CITU leaders were placed under house arrest and workers were jailed for months.

Despite what it described as attempts at repression, CITU said workers’ agitations in defence of their livelihoods have continued. The organisation alleged that the BJP-led Central Government has refused to address the concerns of workers and remains determined to implement the Labour Codes.

“Despite our sustained and determined resistance, the Government shows no sign of changing course,” CITU said, adding that the voices of millions of workers have remained unheard.

CITU said it has therefore decided to mobilise workers from across the country to Delhi and march towards Parliament on December 1.

The union said the mobilisation would seek to make the concerns of Indian workers heard by the nation and lawmakers and press the Government to address their demands.

CITU’s six central demands

The central demands listed by CITU are:

• Repeal the Labour Codes.
• Implement the unanimous recommendations of the 45th and 46th Indian Labour Conferences (ILCs) and recognise scheme workers as workers, with minimum wages, EPF, ESI, gratuity and other statutory benefits. Pending this, CITU has demanded an immediate increase in the remuneration of all scheme workers.
• Ensure a minimum wage of Rs 42,000 for all Indian workers, a minimum income of Rs 42,000 for all self-employed workers and a universal minimum pension of Rs 21,000.
• Fill vacancies in PSUs and Government and semi-Government offices and institutions, regularise contractual and non-regular workers engaged in permanent and perennial work, and, pending regularisation, revise the pay of contract workers to an amount equal to that of permanent workers doing the same job.
• Stop violations of safety protocols that lead to accidents, take strong action against those violating statutory rights and benefits, and stop what CITU described as the criminalisation of trade union activities and strike struggles.
• Protect people’s rights over Jal-Jameen-Jungle and protect the country’s natural and national assets. CITU has also demanded an end to indiscriminate land grabbing and called for rehabilitation, resettlement and recruitment for displaced people.

CITU said the December 1 march would witness one of the biggest mobilisations of workers on the streets of Delhi, with workers converging in the national capital to raise issues concerning livelihood, dignity and workers’ rights.

According to the union, preparations for the mobilisation are already underway across all states.

CITU has also called upon the Government to respect workers and hold negotiations with workers and their organisations to resolve issues that have remained pending for years.

The organisation warned that if the Government does not change course, the working class would intensify its struggle after the December 1 mobilisation, with “massive and multi-day workers’ actions” expected across the country in the following months.