Srinagar, June 19: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has called on the working class to unite and prepare for a nationwide day of demands on July 10, 2024. This decision emerged from a two-day secretariat meeting held in Delhi on June 17-18, following the 18th Lok Sabha elections.
The union in a statement issued here said that the CITU leaders discussed the “continuous struggles and campaigns” waged by the working class over the past decade under BJP rule. These efforts have kept critical livelihood issues such as unemployment, price rises and working conditions in the public discourse during the election campaign, they said.
“Despite the electoral setback for the BJP, the NDA government is unlikely to shift from its neoliberal policy framework, as evidenced by recent moves such as the implementation of new labour codes and the National Monetization Pipeline (NMP),” the union said.
According to the statement, the CITU has outlined a phased campaign beginning with grassroots mobilisation, culminating in tehsil and district-level dharnas (sit-ins) and agitations across the country on July 10.
The demands for this nationwide protest include: scrapping the new labor codes, abandoning the NMP and halting privatisation efforts, setting a minimum wage of at least Rs 26,000 per month for all workers, ensuring job security for contract workers, equal wages, and benefits for contract workers performing the same tasks as permanent workers, and scrapping schemes like Agniveer, Ayudhveer and Koylaveer, rescinding notifications that reduce penalties for employers who default on remitting employees’ provident fund (EPF), pension (EPS) and insurance (EDLI) dues.
Abolishing the National Pension System (NPS) and reinstating the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), with a minimum pension of Rs 9,000 or more for EPS pensioners, recognising Anganwadi workers, ASHAs and midday meal workers as formal workers and ensuring they receive minimum wages and social security benefits including pensions are also among the demands.
The CITU has asked the state committees to add any significant local demands to the agenda.
All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWAH) will observe the Demands Day on July 10, continuing their tradition from previous years, it added.
