CITU calls for nationwide strike tomorrow
Vijayawada: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has called for a nationwide general strike on July 9, demanding repeal of the new Labor Codes, which they claim as aiming at turning the working class into bonded laborers, and to resolve various demands of employees and workers.
CITU State vice-president P Ajay Kumar announced this during an extensive meeting of CITU NTR district committee held on Saturday at the CITU district office in Ranigari Thota here. The meeting was presided over by district president A Venkateswar.
Addressing the gathering, Ajay Kumar stated that the Modi government at the Centre introduced the Labor Codes specifically to trample upon the rights of the working class. 'These codes will strip workers of their fundamental rights to form unions, strike, and engage in collective bargaining,' he asserted. He added that the concept of 'fixed-term employment' is merely a ploy to exploit labor by employing workers without protection, thereby benefiting corporations. Kumar urged workers to decisively reject the Labor Codes and demanded the implementation of a minimum wage of Rs 26,000. He also criticised the Chandrababu-led State government for amending the Factories Act to allow 'spread hours,' enabling employers to make workers labor for up to 12 hours a day, and permitting women to work night shifts, calling it an 'atrocious' move.
Ajay Kumar demanded that the Telugu Desam government increase minimum wages, establish welfare boards for 'muta' (headload) workers, hawkers, auto, and transport workers.
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