The Hindu : Karnataka News : Unions vow to oppose new labour laws

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 02, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Unions vow to oppose new labour laws

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MAY 1. Leaders of several workers' unions today took a pledge to oppose the proposed new labour laws and new economic policies of the Centre and the State governments.

Addressing a large gathering of workers at Bannappa Park here on May Day, G.N. Nagaraj, General Secretary of the State unit of the CPI(M), said decisions on increasing petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG prices had been deferred in view of the elections. The Centre had issued an order to increase the prices of petrol and LPG in March, but postponed its implementation fearing loss of electoral support in the Lok Sabha elections, he said.

The State Government led by the Congress and Union Government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been vigorously implementing liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation policies to integrate the domestic economy with the global economy. But these policies had adversely affected the living standards of the working class. The "hire and fire policy" in private firms, contract labour system, proposed new labour laws and deregulation of the economy had led to the exploitation of the working class and denial of their right to strike, Mr. Nagaraj said.

The State Governments led by the Left parties in West Bengal and Tripura were following alternative economic policies and protecting the rights and interests of the labour class. In contrast, the Krishna Government had borrowed heavily to privatise the power, transport, water supply and other sectors. The State Government had signed an agreement with the World Bank to increase the power tariff after the elections, he charged.

The General Secretary of the CITU State unit, G.V.K. Nair, spoke on the history of the labour movement. Many cotton mills in the State were closed owing to new textile policy introduced by the late Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in 1985. He appealed to the workers to organise themselves and fight for their basic rights.

The Life Insurance Employees' Union leader, Vijaya Kumar, and the Bangalore District CITU President, R. Srinivas, also spoke.

Earlier, workers' unions took out a rally from Chikalalbagh to Bannappa Park.

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