THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: To protest the pro-corporate policies of the BJP government at the Centre, the joint platform of Central Trade Unions has called for a two-day national strike on March 28 and 29. In a press conference here on Tuesday, INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan alleged the Union government was trying to divert people’s attention from real issues by creating communal divisions.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government have been selling off even profit-making PSUs to favour a few corporates. The trade unions, have, therefore launched a national-level agitation against this,” he said.
The government is planning to sell the BPCL unit in Kochi for Rs 60,000 crore, even though it has been making profit `7,000 annually. The unit has assets worth `20 lakh crore. “Issues like price hike, pandemic, reducing labour days under MGNREGS, lack of investment in public sector and financial crisis have made life difficult for employees. The Union government is not ready to follow the Supreme Court order to release PF pension arrears,” alleged Chandrasekharan.
The INTUC will take out protest marches to collectorates on March 8 against the state government actions aimed at sabotaging the MGNREGS. Chandrasekharan alleged that the state government has been reluctant to pay minimum wages to employees. The strike will be extended to panchayats too, he added.
‘Won’t support forced closure of firms’
INTUC will not back any trade union that forces commercial establishments to close down, state head R Chandrasekharan said. Referring to the CITU protest against a firm in Kannur, he said the CPM-affiliated union’s stance of forcing industrialists to close down their businesses cannot be accepted. “We cannot allow employees to lose their jobs, but at the same time, forcible closure of a unit is not desirable. The labour department has failed to intervene to address issues between the management and employees. The state government should urgently step in to address lapses in the department,” said Chandrasekharan.
INTUC platinum jubilee
Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi will inaugurate INTUC platinum jubilee celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram on May 3. The two-day celebrations will begin on May 2 at Al Saj Convention Centre, Kazhakkoottam. The INTUC state committee office building at Paruthikkuzhi will also be inaugurated on this occasion.