Congress president Sonia Gandhi will address a rally of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) on Kollam Beach on February 15. The rally is being held to herald the 286th national working committee meeting of the INTUC to be held here on February 17 and 18.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, INTUC State unit president R. Chandrasekharan said that three-lakh members would participate in the rally which would start from the Asramam maidan.
He said that subject to a final confirmation, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi would attend the working committee meeting on February 18.
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The same day the 84th birthday celebrations of INTUC president G. Sanjeeva Reddy would be held at the venue.
The working committee meeting will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on February 17 and the function will be presided over by Mr. Reddy. KPCC president and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala will deliver the keynote address.
Mr. Chandrasekharan said the all-India strength of the INTUC at present stood at 3.33 crore. In Kerala, the INTUC strength was 17 lakh.
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He said the working committee meeting of the organisation was being held at a time when trade unions the world over were reviewing strategies in the wake of the receding global recession situation.
The INTUC was pressing for a hike in the daily wage for labourers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme from the present Rs.150 to Rs.300 a person.
The organisation demanded that the minimum work days under the scheme be increased to 200 days from the present 100 days, he said.
KPCC vice-president Bharatheepuram Sasi, general convener of the meeting V. Sathyaseelan, INTUC secretary K. Suresh Babu, and UDF district chairman K. Karunakaran Pillai were present at the press conference.