Pics: Harshini Bramhavar
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Aug 14: The statewide workers’ awareness rally by Centre of Indian Trade Unions, on Sunday, August 13, reached here. CITU is leading the procession to spread awareness among workers about their rights.
CITU leaders held a public meeting in front of Clock Tower here, on the occasion. Leaders of the district unit of CITU welcomed the rally.
The organisation scheduled a state-level rally of CITU members to Bengaluru, for Monday, September 14.
"The state-level rally in Bengaluru aims to pressurise the government to fix the minimum wage at Rs 18,000 a month and ensure job security," he said. The CITU expects over 2.5 lakh workers to participate in the rally.
CITU state president S Varalakshmi, addressing the gathering, said, "Prime minister Modi says he has a 56-inch chest. Why then has he not dared to sort out problems of the labour class. He is working in favour of international level entrepreneurs by writing off loans. Modi is harassing the common people by imposing tax on essential commodities."
President Varalakshmi threw an open challenge to chief minister Siddharamaiah. "If he has concern for workers, he must take the decision of fixing minimum wage for labourers just like Pinarayi Vijayan did. Kerala CM strictly ordered that no worker should work for less than Rs 600 per day.The Karnataka chief minister should provide two schemes - Kooli Bhagya and Job Security, along with all government privileges. There are 224 MLAs in the state. They should be sensitive to the problems of the working class," she added.
Varalaxmi put forth a few demands to be fulfilled at the earliest. The awareness campaign was organised to raise the issues of government's anti-poor policies; fix minimum wage up to Rs 18,000 across the State; execute accommodation facility, provident fund and smart card schemes for unorganized labourers; control hyper-inflation and have universal ration system; bring control over contract system and implement bills on permanent and non permanent labourers.
The rally also opposes privatisation of small industries, the remedies made in labourers laws, the cut off of central grants; and asks for labour courts to be installed in all districts.
The awareness rally started from Vidhurashvatha in Chikkaballapur. It will culminate at Kundapur.
State secretary K Ramesh, Meenakshi Sundaram MS, Balakrishna Shetty, Kaviraj and other local leaders were present at the rally.