Kumar Vikas
Reporter Motherland, Delhi
BMS National office bearers’ web-meeting held on 13 May 2020 strongly condemned the total withdrawal of labour laws in UP, MP and Gujrat. States like Rajasthan, as well as the increase in working hours by Maharashtra, Goa and Odisha. The working hours have been increased from 8 to 12 hours. It is learnt that many other states are readying to follow the trend. This is unheard in history and is rare even in most undemocratic countries. BMS State Units have written to State Chief Ministers but only CM of MP has shown the courtesy to meet BMS delegation.
Virjesh Upadhyay, National General Secretary issued a press release today in which it is said that the migrant worker’s issues have aggravated mainly because there is gross violation of Migrant labour act by most of the states. Hence we are pushed to the wall and there is no other way out except going for agitation.
Hence BMS decided Nation Wide Agitation in Solidarity with the fight against the anti-worker Ordinances in UP, MP, Gujrat as well as an increase of working hours in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa and Odisha.
The meeting also discussed pandemic situation due to COVID-19 and effects on various sectors. It welcomed the Package declared by the Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi ji and the details announced in the first stage by the Finance Minister.
The Office bearers congratulated BMS district-level workers who were involved in one of the largest service activities supporting the labour in various ways. In many states contractors or employers or agencies did not pay salary or wages for the month of April 2020. IN addition, crores workers have lost their jobs.
Hence BMS national office bearers meeting had decided the following actions plans :
- 05.2020 to 18-5-2020- Send letters to District authorities on local issues by district secretaries by local unions, state-level unions, federations on issues like payment of wages, job losses, relief measures to unregistered workers, migrant workers, self-employed workers, private transport workers, on welfare boards for non-renewal of members, representing Stranded migrant labour problems in their respective districts, opposing the increase in working hours.
- 05.2020 Nationwide protest Day: Demonstrations at Taluka centre/District center/ industrial estate by maintaining social distance: On freezing labour laws and increasing working hours in various states, on migrant workers issues, payment of wages, job losses, increase in working hours and also demand job opportunity for the unorganized sector, contract workers of the organised sector.
- 30th and 31st May 2020- State/ Industry/ Company/sector level conventions on workers demands and also demanding withdrawal of labour laws freezing.