Leaders of political parties and trade unions appealed to the working class to put up a united fight for keeping alive the right to form unions and for continued implementation of labour laws.
Addressing a public meeting jointly organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions and the All India Trade Union Congress in connection with 128 May Day celebration, CITU functionary and leader of Communist Party of India K. alanichamy said no demand of the working class had been met without a series of struggles.
Communist Party of India MLA A.Lazar said the election to cooperative societies in the State was not conducted in a free and fair manner in many places. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, as a responsible opposition party, should have taken part in the election, he said.
CITU leader V.Pitchai said the multi-national companies that were setting up their units in India were denying the labourers the right to form union.
AITUC leader Nandasingh lamented that the Labour Department was not functioning properly. Over one lakh cases related to industrial disputes were pending before the department and the working class was not getting justice in a time-bound manner.
S.Krishnan, a functionary of the Tamil Nadu Government Employees’ Association, said over 2.5 lakh posts were lying vacant in various departments. This was because of the recruitment policy adopted by successive governments for the last eight years.
Leader of All India Bank Employees’ Association M.Sundarajan said the Centre, which could not take forward its proposal to private and public sector banks due to nation-wide opposition from trade unions, was now allowing more private banks in the country.
Earlier, scores of labourers took part in a rally taken out from Arasardi to Petchiamman Padithurai. The Left parties and the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam distributed sweets and hoisted party flags to mark the event.
