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Time of India

AITUC calls out to fight exploitative policies framed against working class

Dharwad : "In the name of contract and outsourcing, workers are being deprived of basic benefits such as minimum wages, provident fund (PF), employee state insurance (ESI), and leave entitlements. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We must fight against such exploitative policies," charged AIUTUC state vice-president D Nagalakshmi. She was speaking during a workers' rally organised by the AIUTUC district committee on Thursday in the city, as part of the 139th International Workers' Day celebrations. She alleged that the govts are not ready to recognise ASHA workers, anganwadi workers, and mid-day meal workers as labourers. "Their demands have not been fulfilled. There is a conspiracy to divide workers in the name of caste, religion, and language," Nagalakshmi charged. She recalled that May 1 is observed every year as International Workers' Day in memory of the 1886 workers' struggle in the US labour market, where they fought to establish an eight-hour workday. This historic movement instilled fear in the hearts of capitalist owners worldwide. As a result of that struggle, workers gained reduced working hours and rights, she said. She further accused, "Many institutions blatantly violate labour laws and pressure employees to work 72 to 90 hours a week. Their sole objective is maximum profit. Meanwhile, govts themselves are amending labour laws to affect workers." The meeting was presided over by district unit president Gangadhar Badiger.