Mumbai: The Trade Unions Joint Action Committee (TUJAC) will take out a ‘warning morcha’ against the State government at Azad Maidan on May 1, in which more than 50,000 union members are expected to participate.
The committee, which has over 34 trade unions as members, including the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Bank Employees Union, Public Sector Union, municipal workers, hawkers and anganwadi workers, has initiated a campaign against the State goverment for being ‘anti-worker’ and ‘anti-people’. On May 1, which is observed as Maharashtra Day and International Workers’ Day, a signature campaign targeting over four crore workers from across the State will also be carried out.
At a press conference on Thursday, Vishwas Utagi, general secretary, Bank of Maharashtra Employees Union, said, “The amendment of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act in 2017 happened in an undemocratic manner. The law says the contractor can employ 49 contract employees, but will not have the legal obligation to give them Employees State Insurance (ESI) benefits, uniforms, holidays, incentives etc. Close to three lakh small enterprises were closed down during demonetisation and GST introduction, and with no employment generation, the GDP has not even grown to 5.1%.”
P.M. Vartak, general secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Mumbai, said, “This is a ‘warning morcha’ to tell the government that labour unions in State aren’t asleep, and are ready to hit the streets to demand their rights.” He said a National Campaign Committee programme on September 5 will see trade unions from across the country protesting outside Parliament House.
