News Item
In
support of the two-day All India Strike
on 20-21 February, 2013, local units of the central trade unions and government
employees’ organizations today (21.02.2013) organized mass dharna, procession
and public meetings in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The main programme was held at Tiranga Park,
Aberdeen Bazar, Port Blair where workers and employees from various central
trade unions and Associations sat on Mass Dharna from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thereafter, a procession was taken out in the
town at 4.15 p.m. which culminated in massive public meeting at Tiranga Park. Addressing the meeting, Shri B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary,
CITU A & N State Committee
criticized the central government for
pursuing various anti-working class policies and dealt in detail the struggles conducted by the trade unions since
1991. Speaking on the occasion, Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary,
Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association said that it is for the first time that all the central
trade unions in the country have come together
to voice their protest against
the wrong policies of the
government which affect all sections of
the working people. He said that the central government is slowly
moving towards complete privatization and outsourcing of government work. Referring to the Disinvestment Ministry
during the NDA government, he said that now, without the Disinvestment
Ministry, the government is committed
to privatise the public sector undertakings, Banks, Insurance,
etc. and referred to the present position of the loss-making BSNL. Shri NKP Nair, General Secretary, AICCTU A
& N Unit while addressing the gathering criticized the Administration for
not considering various demands of the workers in the islands. Shri Veeranna, General Secretary of BMS A
& N Unit emphasized the need to fight against the corruption prevailing in
various departments under the Administration.
Shri RP Sharma of HMS also spoke on the occasion. Shri Sadanand Rai, who presided over the
meeting, said that the central government is depriving the government employees
of their existing benefits and referred to the introduction of New Pension
Scheme during 2004.
At Diglipur, a day-long mass dharna
was organized at Diglipur Bazar in which
a large number of workers from various trade unions participated. Later in the evening, a massive procession
was taken out in the Diglipur bazaar which was led by Shri S. Asokan, Shri
Madan Mohan Das, Shri PJ Eappen and
Shri Ali Akber.
At Little Andaman, a procession
was taken out by the workers in the Hut Bay Bazar in the evening.
The issues raised during the All
India Strike are (1) Take concrete measures to contain
Price rise, (2) Take concrete measures
for linkage of employement protection
with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs, (3)
Ensure strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or
exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws, (4)
Universal social security cover for the unorganised sector workers without any
restriction and creation of a National Social Security Fund with adequate
resources in line with the recommendation of NCEUS and Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Labour, (5) Stoppage of disinvestment in Central and State PSUs,
(6) No Contractorisation of work permanent/perennial nature and payment of
wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the
regular workers of the industry /establishment (7) Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure
universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory
minimum wage at not less than Rs.10,000/- linked with cost price index (8)
Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund;
Increase the quantum of gratuity, (9) Assured statutory Pension for all and
(10) Ensure Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days
and immediate ratification of the ILO Conventions Nos.87 and 98. Besides various local demands were are raised
during the programme.
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