Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday assured a delegation of leaders of 11 Central trade unions, led by All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary and CPI MP Gurudas Das Gupta, that he would expedite the process for implementing all the recommendations of the three member Committee headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony that was looking into the demands of the labour bodies.
The leaders called on Dr. Singh here at his office to highlight the plight of the working class in the country after taking out a massive rally in the capital. Among other things, the unions, in their 10-point charter of demands, wanted the minimum wages to be fixed up at Rs.10000 per month, increasing the provident fund pension to a minimum of Rs.3000 per month, and stopping further disinvestments in the public sector undertakings.
The delegation also called on Mr. Antony and urged him to speed up the committee’s recommendations so that the poor and working class might get some relief for their job security/economically. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Labour Minister Sis Ram Ola are the other members of the committee.
The other demands of the unions include – seeking effective steps to check price rise and inflation, ban on contract appointments, compulsory registration of trade unions within 45 days of filing application etc.
The unions which have joined the stir include: AITUC, Indian National Trade Union Congress, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, All India United Trade Union Centre and United Trade Union Congress.
Earlier on February 20 and 21, the unions successfully launched a general strike pressing their demands.
