A rally was taken out by workers, owing allegiance to various trade unions, from the Jagadamba Junction to the Collectorate here on Monday demanding abolition of the four labour codes, brought out by the Centre, and to insist on the State government to give up its responsibility of hosting a meeting in this regard on August 25 and 26 in Tirupati.
The all party trade union leaders strongly opposed the conversion of the labour laws, which were achieved by workers after several sacrifices during the British rule, into labour codes. They said that the labour codes would deprive the workers of their basic right to go on strike, to form into unions and the right to bargain with the managements for a fair compensation. Workers would lose job security as permanent employment would pave the way for contract, outsourcing and fixed term employment. The workers would be at the mercy of the managements.
They said that already agitations were being staged across the nation against the labour codes and several State governments were also opposing their implementation but the Centre was trying to make the States toe its line. The Centre has announced holding of a meeting of Labour Ministers from all States in Tirupati on August 25 and 26. They sought that the State government should not take the responsibility of hosting the meet.
The trade union leaders said that workers were getting justice at least to some extent due to the labour laws. It was the responsibility of the Union and the State governments to implement them strictly. They alleged that the Centre has reduced the laws into codes to benefit the managements and to trample upon the rights of the workers. They demanded that the State government abstain from hosting the meetings, which were detrimental to the interests of workers.
CITU leaders R.K.S.V. Kumar, K.M. Srinivas, S. Jyothiswara Rao and V. Krishna Rao, AITUC leaders Padala Ramana, D. Adinarayana, CFTUI leaders N. Kanaka Rao and Venkata Lakshmi, INTUC leaders K. Eswara Rao, Ramachandra Rao, IFTUI leader Y. Kondayya, Lakshminarayana, TNTUC leaders M. Sri Krishna and Pydiraju, YSRTUC leader Y. Mastanappa, HMS leader D. Mastanappa and DSEU leaders D.V. Ramana Reddy and Lakshmana Rao were among those who participated in the protest.
Published - August 22, 2022 05:33 pm IST
