Reasons behind Sept 2 Bharat Bandh

Zee Media Bureau

Essential services are likely to be impacted tomorrow with 10 central trade unions going ahead with one-day nationwide strike to protest against changes in labour laws.

These ten unions claim a combined membership of 15 crore workers in public as well as private sector enterprises including banks and insurance companies and they have decided to go ahead with the strike after their talks with a group of senior ministers earlier this month failed to yield desired results.

Union leaders said the strike will affect the functioning of essential services like transport and supply of power, gas and oil, even as Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) claimed that power, oil and gas supplies will not be affected as a large number of public sector workers in these areas would not participate in the industrial action.

As many as 12 central trade unions had given this strike call over a 12-points charter of demands, including withdrawal of the proposed anti-worker amendments in labour laws and stopping the disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs.

Here is the list of demands:

PART-I

1. Urgent measures for containing price-rise through universalisation of public distribution system and banning speculative trade in commodity market.

2. Containing unemployment through concrete measures for employment generation.

3. Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measure for violation for labour laws.

4. Universal social security cover for all workers

5. Minimum wages of not less than Rs 15,000/- per month with provisions of indexation.

6. Assured enhanced pension not less than Rs. 3000/- P.M. for the entire working population.

7. Stoppage of disinvestment in Central/State PSUs.

8. Stoppage of contractorisation in permanent perennial work and payment of same wage and benefits for contract workers as regular workers for same and similar work.

9. Removal of all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident fund; increase the quantum of gratuity.

10. Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days from the date of submitting applications; and immediate ratification of ILO Convention C 87 and C 98.

11. Against Labour Law Amendments

12. Against FDI in Railways, Insurance and Defence.

PART-II

1. Effect wage revision of the Central Government Employees from 01.01.2014 accepting memorandum of the staff side JCM; ensure 5-year wage revision in future; grant interim relief and merger of 100% of DA; Include Gramin Dak Sevaks within the ambit of 7th CPC. Settle all anomalies of 6th CPC.

2. No Privatisation, PPP or FDI in Railways, Defence Establishment and no corporatization of Postal services.

3. No ban on creation of new posts. Fill up all vacant posts.

4. Scrap PFRDA Act an re-introduce the defined benefit statutory pension scheme.

5. No outsourcing, contractrisation, privatization of governmental functions; withdraw the proposed move to close down the printing presses, the publications, form stores and stationery departments and medical stores Depots; regularize the existing daily-rated/casual and contract workers and absorption of trained apprentices.

6. Revive the JCM functioning at all level as an effective negotiating forum for settlement of the demands of the Central Government Employees.

7. Remove arbitrary ceiling on compassionate appointment.

8. No labour reforms which are inimical to the interest of the workers.

9. Remove the ceiling on payment on bonus

10. Ensure five promotions in the serve career.