Major trade unions call for strike on Sept 7

Nine major trade unions including Congress-backed INTUC today gave a call for a countrywide strike on September seven against price rise and economic policies of the central government.

The call for the strike was given at a national convention of workers in which leaders and workers of INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and LPF participated here.

BJP-backed Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) boycotted the convention, reason for which was not known immediately.

"For the first time in the history of India, all the central trade unions including INTUC are together. We are going in for one-day strike primarily against price rise, retrenchment, underpayment, poverty and many of the economic policies of the government," AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said here.

"It is going to be the biggest ever strike by the workers in the country," he said.

The move comes after the July 5 strike against rise in fuel prices by major opposition parties including the BJP and the Left which disrupted normal life in the country.

"If the government does not concede to the demands, the trade unions will intensify the struggle further and stage a march to Parliament," Dasgupta said.

On BMS not participating in the convention, Dasgupta said, "We don't know. Ask them. We hope they participate with us in the strike".

INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy said that the trade union movement was suffereing due to "non-action" of the government.

"The basic labour laws are not properly implemented. Poor workers are suffering because of extra working hours and contract labour. Some of the state governments are not even registering the trade unions. Victimisation of workers, closure of industries is there. Unemployment is increasing day by day," Reddy claimed.