Workers ignored politically motivated strike call: BMS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: C K Saji Narayanan, All India president of BMS, has said the workers have rejected and ignored the politically motivated strike call while speaking to Express.The BMS leader said the strike called by the CITU and supported by a section of  INTUC did not have an impact on the society with industries and public sector undertakings functioning. Transport services in the national capital and other places were not affected.

He said even Railways was not affected by the strike and the trade unions were using students and youth wings to support the strike which was rejected by the workers. The BMS leader said even state governments supported hartals in Kerala and Karnataka showed poor response compared to previous years.
Saji Narayanan said, “Six trade unions - BMS, TUCC, NFITU, INTUC, HMKP and NLO - have under a joint platform CONCENT (Confederation of Central Trade Unions) dissociated from the strike accusing it as politically motivated and untimely.”

The BMS leader also said some of the demands raised by the striking trade unions have already been met by the Central Government, but the Left Government of Kerala has refused to implement this. Saji Narayanan said, “Leftist trade unions have boycotted government’s important consultations on labour law amendment.

Only trade unions belonging to CONCENT have participated which is not good for a healthy trade union movement affecting the lives of millions.”The BMS leader also said the consultations on the recent trade union amendment bill was boycotted by the leftist unions before it was presented in Parliament, but they are raising objections presently.

Saji Narayanan also said CONCENT has already adopted a 20-point charter of demands in its recent convention in New Delhi and had presented it to Prime Minister through the Union Labour Minister.

Sreedharan Pillai to reach Delhi today after high command call

T’Puram: BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai is to reach Delhi on Wednesday after the party high command called him for an urgent meeting. He will be meeting the national leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be arriving in the state for a slew of programmes on January 15, including visiting Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple and inaugurating the Kollam bypass as well as a mammoth programme of the NDA. He will be kick starting the NDA’s election campaign in Kollam.