BMS protests against dilution of labour laws, demands payment of wages for lockdown period

The RSS-affiliated workers organisation BMS on Wednesday held a countrywide protest against dilution of labour laws and demanded immediate payment of wages to labourers for the coronavirus-triggered lockdown period.

Thousands of Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) workers staged demonstrations on roads, in front of their houses and at government offices against non-payment of wages during the lockdown period, massive job losses, increase in working hours from 8 to 12 hours, the trade union said in a statement.

The protest was also against the unilateral changes in labour laws in 14 states and against unbridled privatisation of public sector undertaking, it said.

The BMS demands the Government of India consider the plight of the workers and issue stringent directions for the payment of wages immediately.

It also asked the government to intervene and halt changes in the labour laws by state governments, it said.