Several issues were discussed by various trade union leaders during public rallies and meetings organised as part of May Day here on Saturday. They touched upon the rise in prices of essential commodities and fuel, contractualisation of labour resulting in job uncertainty, and attempts by multinational companies (MNCs) to thwart formation of workers' unions.
Participating in a march organised by the Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), veteran freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy said “MNCs are trying to take away our basic rights by not allowing the workers to form trade unions”.
At a public meeting, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) president V.J.K. Nair expressed displeasure over the failure of the governments to check rise in prices of essential commodities. “The contractualisation of labour denies job security to workers and ensures that they have no future; we are determined to fight this,” said M.R. Shenoy of the Bank Employees' Federation of India.
Meanwhile, at a public meeting organised by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the workers, led by M.C. Narasimhan, demanded a law to protect the interest of labourers in the unorganised sector.
Safety at work
Members of the Garment and Textile Workers' Union held a jatha, which passed through Guddadahalli, Laggere, Rajagopalanagar and Hegganahalli areas, which are dominated by garment industries, to highlight the plight of garment workers.
They urged the government to ensure safe working conditions.
Karnataka Workers' Union organised a rally from Minerva Circle to Bannappa Park, in which workers from the unorganised sector participated.
Addressing the workers, the former Minister B.T. Lalitha Naik said workers were finding it difficult to manage their families as their salaries had not gone up despite rise in prices of essential commodities.
