JCTU district-level conference in Kalaburagi on Sunday

The Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) will organise a district-level conference in Kalaburagi on Sunday to highlight what it termed the anti-labour policies of the Central and State governments.

Addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Thursday, CITU State general secretary S. Varalakshmi and AITUC district general secretary Prabhudev Yelasanghi said that the conference will deliberate on the nation-wide agitation scheduled for February 12 against the implementation of the four labour codes by diluting 29 existing Central labour laws.

They said that the four labour codes implemented by the Modi-led Union government will undermine the constitutional rights of workers, curtail their right to protest, weaken labour norms and regulations, extend working hours from eight to 12 hours and introduce night shifts for women without adequate safeguards.

Ms. Varalakshmi criticised the State government for not holding consultations with trade unions before framing labour regulations and norms. She said that the regulations notified by the State government are even more stringent than those proposed by the Centre.

Pointing out that of the nearly 46 crore workers in the country, about 40 crore are in the unorganised sector, they said that a majority of them are deprived of basic government benefits and social security, making them more vulnerable under the new labour codes.

She appealed to labour, workers and trade unions to participate in the nation-wide agitation to register their protest against the government’s anti-labour policies and the labour reforms.