INTUC threatens nation-wide strike ON 28/02/2012

“The Centre should respond to the charter of demands set out by various trade unions within the next few days, failing which we will resort to a nation-wide industrial strike on February 28,” said Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) president G. Sanjeeva Reddy on Thursday.

Over 200 representatives of BMS, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTCC, SEWA and LPF met here on Thursday to express their support to INTUC and to bring pressure on the Centre to respond to the charter of demands by February 27.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Reddy said, “We want the Centre to come forward and hold consultation and negotiations with us, failing which we are determined to make an impact on Tuesday. It will be a mammoth strike, but definitely not a bandh as made out by some political parties. We have excluded railways, airlines and essential services as we do not want to cause inconvenience to the public.”

Accusing that the Centre policies were aimed at supporting the management to attract more investments, he said the trade unions wanted the Centre either to be neutral or pro-labour so that the workers' interest were protected.

At the All India INTUC meeting on January 31, the members gave a call for the nationwide strike demanding revision of minimum wages for the contract workers; filling up of vacant posts on regular basis and not on contract basis; amending provident fund and bonus to all workers without any pre-conditions; hiking gratuity rates and pension to all workers/ employees; compulsory registration of trade unions within a couple of days of filing registration papers; implementations of labour laws as per ILO convention; providing social security cover for agricultural labourers/ unorganised workers; discouraging divestment of profit making public sector units and taming inflation.

“The strike is backed by public and private sector units, government departments, banks and major industrial establishments. We are holding the strike just before the Budget session to attract the Centre's attention,” said INTUC Tamil Nadu Branch president G. Kalan.