AITUC terms lockdown easing as unplanned, unprepared exercise; asks govt to facilitate workers' journey to home

The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) on Monday termed the relaxations in lockdown guidelines to start economic activities as "unplanned and unprepared".

"AITUC deplores the latest order from the Home Secretary on April 19, 2020 in regard to movement of stranded labour within the state/UT...," it said in a statement.

The AITUC said that the decision to allow movement of labour for the work in the permitted areas from April 20 has been made without even considering for their immediate demands for ration/ food/ water and medications etc.

According to the statement, stranded workers have been demanding to facilitate their journey to their homes within the state or to the other states to the place of their domicile.

These steps to relax lockdown are less for the economic benefit of these workers and rather has been taken under the pressure from the big builders lobby and other big business houses, it added.

It alleged that now some of the employers' organisations have written to the union ministry of labour to prohibit formation of unions.

The AITUC demands that all those workers who wish to go to their homes be respected for their choice and appropriate arrangements be made.

It further asserted that the government cannot treat the workers as their subjects/slaves to follow their commands unquestioned, it added.