Date:02/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/02/stories/2004050202760400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Workers told to fight for rights

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MAY 1. Trade Unions and Left parties organised rallies and meetings while most workers enjoyed a day off from work on account of the International Labour Holiday on the occasion of May Day.

Addressing workers here on Saturday, the CPI State secretary, Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, said that the working classes were facing unprecedented attacks on their livelihood and rights. Unemployment was rising as jobs in the organised sector were falling steeply. The right to strike was being taken away while restrictions were being put on the workers' right to form trade unions.

Mr. Reddy said that whatever Government comes to power at the Centre or the State, workers would have to unite to fight for their rights which were under attack from the policies of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. He urged workers to join the political struggle against anti-working class policies of the Governments.

The senior AITUC leader and president, World Federation of Trade Unions, K.L. Mahendra, said that the recommendations of the Second Labour Commission were a direct attack on the rights of workers won over decades of struggles and called on the workers to protest against them. He also said that workers' savings were under threat through the reduction of interest rates on Provident Fund.

In the morning, the CPI(M) Politbureau member, Koratala Satyanarayana, raised the `Red Flag' at their State Committee office while the CITU State vice-president, K. Venkateshwarlu, hoisted the `Red Flag' at the CITU office.

Reports of May Day rallies and celebrations also came in from industrial estates spread around Hyderabad and from various Government and municipal offices, RTC depots and factories in the city.

CITU and AITUC rallies and meetings were held in Balanagar, Jeedimetla, Medchal, Rajendranagar, Kapra, Sherlingampalli, Gandhi Nagar, Chandrayangutta, Uppal, Nacharam, Shamirpet, Hayatnagar, Ghatkesar, Keesra, Shamshabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Shankarpally, Moinabad, Vikarabad and Tandur.

Most shops, banks, factories and other institutions were closed on account of labour holiday though Government offices remained open.