The state office-bearers of the central trade unions including Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC), and Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) condemned the UP government’s assault on democratic rights of millions of labourers within the state.
Addressing a press conference at UP Press Club on Tuesday, the labour leaders have placed few demands before the government: the unconditional release of all workers arrested in Noida; the withdrawal of all fabricated legal cases filed during the course of the agitation; the reinstatement of all workers who were dismissed from their jobs by various companies; and a commitment from the government to respect the democratic rights of the public and the working class.
They further demanded that the government engage in dialogue with the representatives of the protesting workers. The labour leaders also accused the government of targeting farmers, social activists and journalists who have extended their support to the labor movement.
The labour leader CITU general secretary Prem Nath Rai said that, following the revision in 2014, the minimum wage is due from 2019.
“Rising inflation has made it increasingly difficult for workers to sustain their livelihoods. Consequently, the state’s trade unions have repeatedly demanded that the state government constitute a Minimum Wage Advisory Board to undertake the necessary wage revision. These demands, however, have been completely ignored,” the union leaders said.
Present at the press conference were INTUC secretary Dilip Srivastava, AITUC secretary Chandrashekhar, HMS secretary Umashankar Mishra, CITU state secretary Prem Nath Rai, AIUTUC secretary Valendra Katiyar, TUCC secretary Aarti and Dr VK Singh of AITUC.
