Trade unions, farm outfits to strengthen protests against U.S. trade deal, Labour Codes

A “workers’ and farmers’ Parliament,” convened by the Central Trade Unions and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha in Jantar Mantar on Monday (March 10, 2026) resolved to observe March 23, the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, as “anti-imperialist day” against the free trade deals with the United States, European Union and the United Kingdom. On April 1, the organisations will observe a “black day” against the implementation of four Labour Codes. They will hold mahapanchayats in all States to rally farmers and workers against the “pro-corporate” policies of the Union government.

Another demand of the SKM and CTUs is to restore the taxation powers of the States by amending the Goods and Services Tax Act and to provide 60% share to States instead of the current 33% of the divisible pool (including cess and surcharges). The resolution adopted at the meeting said the current U.S. regime was acting as the biggest enemy of world’s working people and posing the biggest threat to international institutional mechanisms for world peace. The meeting appealed to the Union government to stop “bending before U.S. diktats” on trade and asked it to condemn and demand immediate cessation of the war on Iran in the interest of world peace. “The Union government has to secure the Indian workforce in the Gulf countries and provide special compensation to all agricultural exports to Gulf countries ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers,” they demanded.

“We note with concern the U.S.’s imposition of unilateral trade tariffs and exploitative trade terms on developing countries to overcome its huge indebtedness, reduce its trade deficit and continue its petro dollar-dominated financial control. The imperialist forces are creating wars and conflicts, taming leaderships of sovereign countries and imposing regime changes, using the war economy to manage their systemic crisis,” the resolution said.

Condemning the war on Iran and killing of Ayatollah Khomeini, the organisations said more than 90 lakh Indian citizens work in Gulf countries. “They export to us 55% of our crude oil needs and annually import 60 lakh tonnes of Basmati rice and buffalo meat, marine products, sugar, fresh vegetables and fruits from India,” the statement said, adding that the U.S. government had emerged as the biggest enemy of world’s working people and the biggest threat to international institutional mechanisms for world peace.

They asked the Union government to demand immediate cessation of the war and ensure world peace and intervene to secure Indian workforce in the Gulf countries and ensure wages and compensation to them and provide special compensation to all agricultural exports, ensuring remunerative price to the farmers.