Joint Council of Trade Unions hold meeting on current issues

Ludhiana, September 27, 2012: A meeting of the Joint Council of Trade Unions was held to discuss the issues concerning the workers of organised as well as unorganised sectors.

Expressing concern at the recent hike in prices of diesel and reduction of subsidy on LPG, the meeting felt that this will hit the working class the most as they are already low paid.

Contractualisation has further added to their woes. It is ironical that even the public sector units are not paying minimum wages, the meeting observed.

The meeting which was attended by All Indian Bank Employees Association, PAU Employees Union, PSSF, Punjab Roadways Workers Union, PRTC Employees Union, Construction Workers Union, Hosiery Workers Union, Municipal Corporation Workers, AITUC, Asha Workers and Punjab Govt. Class IV Employees Union also condemned the lathicharge and registration of FIR against the agitating teachers demanding jobs at Ludhiana.

The meeting demanded the review of new pension scheme effective from 01.01.2004 on all government and public sector employees, increased minimum wage of Rs. 10,000 per month, enrollment of  employees in various departments/sectors on regular basis instead on contract and daily wages, effective implementation of already existing labour laws, immediate implementation of security of service laws for the workers of un organised sector, Anganwadi and Asha workers be given regular employment with grade equivalent to class 3 and 4 employees, pension for all, creation of social security fund for unorgnaised sector workers.

DP Maur, General Secretary, Joint council of Trade Unions Ludhiana informed that a convention of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) will be held at Punjabi Bhawan, Ludhiana on 5th October to finalise the upcoming programme of the central trade unions i.e March to the Parliament by the Trade Unions at Delhi on 20th December 2012 and then nationwide general strike of the workers and employees on February 21 and 22 February next. This convention will be addressed by Gurudas Das Gupta, MP, General Secretary AITUC.