• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

TUs threaten nationwide stir

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, May 20

Trade unions, cutting across party lines, have threatened a nation-wide agitation against privatisation, amendments of labour laws and removal of quantitative restrictions (QRs) by the Union Government.

Expressing disappointment over the outcome of the 37th session of the Indian Labour Congress (ILC), the unions said in a statement here that they would meet on May 24 to decide and finalise the course of their `united struggle.'

The unions said the Prime Minister in his inaugural speech at the ILC had completely ignored the ``burning issues raised by the workers' representatives and responded to and accepted only the points raised by the employers' group.''

The unions -- AITUC, BMS, CITU, INTUC and others -- said that there was an urgent need of countrywide organised opposition and agitation against the ``thoughtless privatisation of profit-making and potentially viable PSUs and the defence sector''.

They also demanded immediate enactment of a comprehensive legislation for agricultural workers, while opposing the changing of the labour laws in favour of employers and the removal of QRs.