New Delhi: Sri B.N,Rai General Secretary, BMS appealed to all the workers to observe industrial strike on 28th February, 2012 peacefully, to express their anger against the neglect of their plight by the Government.
In a reference to the media reports that the Prime Minister is attempting to talk with individuals in a bid to avert strike, Sri Rai said that all Central Trade Unions gave a joint call for strike and there is no place for individual decision for withdrawal. He reiterated that all Central Trade unions are united in this regard. The appeal from the Labour Minister through media for averting strike has no relevance, as the government is maintaining silence on various basic issues of the workers.
The policies of liberalization and the systems of contract labour and outsourcing launched two decades ago have rendered the lives of workers miserable. The Government is running away from its responsibility to fix minimum wage rates in relation to the spiraling prices, and to provide social security cover, universally. Though four years since passed, the demand for adequate funds for The Unorganized Workers Social Security Act, 2008, is not yet conceded. Since three years, the workers have been demanding for a minimum pension of Rs. 3000/- per month. Pending finalization, as an interim measure, the workers demanded pension of Rs. 1000/- which require an annual contribution of 0.63% (equivalent to Rs. 480 crores) to the Pension fund which is also negated by the government. Government is the biggest Labour exploiter and violator of the labour laws in respect of wage, benefits and social security. The Government is delaying the merger of 50% of DA in basic in respect of employees of Govt., PSUs and financial institutions. There are no signs of implementing the decisions of the 44th Indian Labour Conference, which shows that the Government has no respect for the highest tripartite body, popularly called the Labour Parliament. It is the government that thrust the strike on the workers.
Terming the proposed steps by the Governments like West Bengal and Delhi to suppress the strike as undemocratic, Sri Rai called up on the workers to remain peaceful while exercising their right of strike.
