BMS not to join central trade unions' strike

Two days after union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley-led ministerial delegation met the central trade unions, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) on Saturday decided to opt out of the proposed September 2 strike.

The decision of the BMS, an RSS affiliate, came a day after a dozen central trade unions decided to go on with their proposed strike, following an inconclusive two rounds of discussions with the ministerial panel on the demands which include increasing minimum wage to Rs.15,000 and giving wages to contract workers equivalent to regular workers.

"The decision has been taken in view of government's positive assurances on unions basic demands. We feel government must be given time to fulfil our demands," BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay told IANS after the organisation's decision to pull out was taken at a meeting of its core committee here.

Upadhyay also said the BMS would wait for the demands to be incorporated into law and passed by parliament.

The ministerial panel has assured appropriate legislation for making "formula based minimum wages mandatory" and applicable to all employees across the country.

The remaining 10 trade unions, however, decided to go ahead with their strike.

The unions have been raising issues related to labour law amendments and a 10-point charter of demands that includes a minimum wage of Rs.15,000 per month across the country, up from Rs.5,000 to Rs.9,000 in different states and similar wages and service conditions for contract labour as for regular employees.