10 Central Trade Unions demanded national minimum wage, pension, equal pay for equal work etc

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the general elections, 10 central trade unions, barring the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, have demanded a national minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, an end to contract labour and a minimum indexed pension of Rs 6,000 per month, among others.

“Let us place our demands, the workers’ charter, before the political parties and compel them to concretely express their stand on these issues before we decide whom to vote,” the central trade unions said in a joint statement.

The 10 unions jointly addressed workers across India through their national convention held on Tuesday.

They included Indian National Trade Union Congress, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, All India Trade Union Congress, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, All India United Trade Union Centre, Trade Union Coordination Centre, Self-Employed Women’s Association, All India Central Council of Trade Unions, Labour Progressive Federation, United Trade Union Congress and all independent federations of workers.

“While we need to defeat the present BJP led government which has been aggressively pursuing anti-worker, anti-people and anti-national policies, we should also demand reversal of these policies and formulation of alternative pro-worker and pro-people policies, whichever government comes to power at the centre,” they said.

The next government should aim to set a national minimum wage as per the recommendations of the 15th Indian Labour Conference, abolish contract labour and strictly implement the proposal of equal pay for equal work for men and women.

Other demands include comprehensive legislation covering social security and working conditions for all workers including agricultural workers, a check on unemployment through policies encouraging labour-intensive establishments and indexed minimum pension of Rs 6,000 per month for all.

The unions said those employed in different government schemes, including anganwadi workers and helpers, accredited social health activists and others should be recognised as workers and must get minimum wages and social security benefits including pension.

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com