Pro-Congress trade union outfit INTUC today called for the defeat of BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls, holding that victory of the saffron party would prove detrimental to the entire labour force in the country.
The National Working Committee of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), which claims a membership of 3.33 crore in the country, said even though it was opposed to some aspects of the economic and labour policies of the UPA government and had even joined other unions in common struggles, it did not consider Congress as an anti-worker party.
"In sharp contrast, the saffron party, especially under the leadership of Narendra Modi, stood entirely for safeguarding the interests of big corporates," INTUC President G Sanjeeva Reddy alleged while briefing reporters on the deliberations of the meet.
So, it was essential to ensure the return of the Congress-led coalition to power, he said.
The labour scenario in Gujarat where Modi is Chief Minister was such that in many industries, union activities were not allowed, denying the workers their right to organise themselves for collective bargaining, he charged.
The meet also drew up a set of pro-labour proposals to be included in the election manifesto of the Congress.
They include guarantee of all rights and privileges to contract workers in all sectors, gratuity for agriculture workers, protection of migrant labourers, implementation of all recommendations of the central pay commission to railway employees and addressing the grievances of the bank employees.
The union also wanted recognition of trade unions in work places based on physical verification as some of the unions made fake claims of their strength by bogus enrolment.
INTUC Kerala unit president Chandrasekharan and other office-bearers of the organisation were present.
On Saturday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had addressed a rally marking the commencement of the meet.
