Trade unions warn of labour unrest

The UPA government, which is facing severe criticism from members of the civil society and people at large in dealing with corruption, will now have to address another concern — that of trade unions who are raising questions on labour rights and economy.

The central coordination committee of the central trade unions, which met this week, has decided to intensify the agitation which they had been spearheading on a common platform led by the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the union affiliated to the ruling Congress party.

INTUC president Sanjeeva Reddy said the unions have found more issues of agreement and the final draft of action would be prepared on July 23. He said a week-long convention would be held in August, which would be attended by all trade unions. The final strategy to take on the government on issues such as price rise, black money, contractualisation of labour and neglect of the unorganised sector workers' fund would be decided then.

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), which had stayed away from the programmes of the united platform last year, made a return to the fold.

BMS leader A N Dogra said the federation of workers of both the railways and defence production would be included in the programmes. “These federations would take part in the next meeting along with road transport federations and other nationwide workers networks,” he said.

The implication could be a country-wide agitation. Involvement of the Railways  cannot be ruled out, said participants.

The tentative schedule includes jail bharo in September followed by a nation-wide strike in December, said D L Sachdev, secretary, All India Trade Union Congress.

“We will certainly intensify the movement,” vowed AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta.

The left unions are stung by the indifference of the government to their protests since 2009 and want to pull out all stops to draw its attention to the five key issues on which they had come together. Last September, the trade unions held a nation-wide strike.

In spite of the sundry agitation, the trade unions are yet to get an audience with the prime minister, while movements led by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev had seen a more prompt response. Several union leadersare today ready to take drastic steps to be heard.