Members of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a demonstration in the city on Tuesday in support of their charter of demands. Led by the CITU district president V.V. Krishnamurthy, the organisation members took out a procession from the Vestry School circle to the Collectorate where they staged the demonstration.
The demonstrators demanded the Central and State governments check rising prices of essential commodities such as rice, pulses and vegetables and withdraw the proposed move to hike the prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and cooking gas.
While condemning what they claimed the “denial” of industrial union rights and non-recognition of unions, the CITU members demanded the abolition of contract system and the removal of the system of consolidated pay and honorarium as it led to slavery.
They also demanded payment of Rs. 1,000 as pension to the workers registered with the welfare board and fix 50 years as the age limit for retirement of women labourers.
Establishment of a separate welfare board for loadmen, supply of diesel and gas at a subsidised rate for passenger autorickshaws and removal of intervention of the Village Administrative Officer for registration in welfare boards were among the other demands of the demonstrators.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) district secretary S. Sridhar, CITU district secretary R. Raja and office bearers of the organisation and workers took part in the stir.
