The Hindu : Nationwide trade union stir today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 08, 2003

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National

Nationwide trade union stir today

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI Jan. 7. All Central trade unions, barring the BMS, will launch a peaceful agitation against the ``anti-labour and anti-people'' economic policies of the Central Government, including aggressive disinvestment, across the country tomorrow.

The trade unions claimed that nearly 20 lakh workers would resort to ``rail roko, rasta roko and jail bharo andolan'' to pressure the Government to review policies that were harming the working class and creating more unemployment.

Tomorrow's phase of the agitation would be followed by a march to Parliament on February 26, in accordance with a decision collectively taken by the trade unions earlier.

Thereafter, the unions would plan the format for an intensified struggle.

Speaking on behalf of the central trade unions, the general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Gurudas Das Gupta, criticised the Government for ignoring the views of the working class and going ahead with its reforms agenda.

After the BJP's victory in the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Government appeared to have become more aggressive in pursuing its economic agenda, regardless of its adverse impact on job opportunities.

Mr. Das Gupta said that the situation had become unbearable for the working class.

More sectors were being privatised and a substantial part of the general insurance business was being outsourced. In the last four years, one crore workers had been retrenched and 6 lakh factories closed down.

He said an aggressive and intensified struggle was the only way to make the Government see reason and review its negative policies.

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