Panaji: Workers from Goa marched in Panaji on Monday to demand nationalisation of all iron ore mines in the State, and to pledge support to the villagers of Sonshi and all others struggling for clean water and air.
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) had organised the rally to celebrate International Workers’ Day. Workers from factories, mines, shipyards, port and dock, commercial establishments, transport, government and semi-government departments shouted slogans and waved colourful posters and banners bearing messages.
The rally ended with a public meeting addressed by AITUC Goa general secretary Christopher Fonseca, president Prasanna Utagi, deputy general secretary R.D. Mangueshkar and secretary Suhaas Naik.
The workers felicitated Amandeep Prabhudessai, a doctor who has dedicated his whole life to serve the needy. They also felicitated Comrade Juvenile Braganza, a veteran communist who has served working people in Goa for many years.
Mr. Fonseca said that the offensive launched by the BJP-led government on the working people and their hard-won rights at the behest of the corporate lobby must stop. He demanded that workers’ rights must be protected.
“The Modi government has also launched direct attacks on the democratic rights of the people, particularly the working class, by unleashing anti-labour amendments to labour laws secured by the working class after relentless struggles. This government is out to defeat the hard-won labour laws, which are being amended to suit the hire-&-fire policies of MNCs and corporates,” Mr. Fonseca said.
Trade union speakers attacked the government for “anti-labour laws” and accused it of failing to tackle the unemployment problem across the country.
Mr. Naik demanded a rollback of the hike in prices of petrol and diesel, controlling prices of essential commodities, recognition of the right to organise and right to strike as a fundamental right, no pro-employer changes to labour laws, stopping sale of profit-making public sector undertakings, setting up a National Fund for the unorganised workers and toilers, promulgating minimum wage of ₹18,000 per month linked to dearness allowance, and abolition of the contract labour system in government.
