A forum of 10 trade unions has given a 17-point charter of demand. It includes withdrawal of fixed-term employment and scrapping of Agnipath scheme, 8-hour workday, restoration of non-contributory Old Pension Scheme and a minimum monthly penion of Rs 9,000 for the EPFO subscribers, among others.
The forum has alleged that the economic policies are resulting into more unemployment, rising prices of essential commodities, depression in wages, cut in social sector spending in education, health, basic civic amenities, and all these are leading to more inequalities and miseries for poor, people of lower income group as well as the middle class.
The four labour codes that have been passed by the Parliament are meant to suppress and cripple the trade union movement, increase working hours, snatch workers’ right to collective bargaining, right to strike, and decriminalise violation of labour laws by employers, the forum has stated.
They also demand implementation of the recommendation of Indian Labour Conference to give worker status to scheme workers-Anganwadi, Asha and Midday meal, Asha Kiran etc and ESIC coverage to them.
-PTI
