Trade unions, farmers’ bodies and power sector employees staged protests across the country on Wednesday against the government’s four labour codes, asking for their withdrawal and guaranteed MSP, among other demands.
The protestors, who included a joint forum of 10 central trade unions, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, and power sector engineers’ body, AIPEF, said the codes, which were notified by the Centre last week, negated workers’ right to strike, made de-recognition of unions easy, and union registration problematic, all of which equalled negation of labour rights.
In a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, the joint forum said, “These codes negate our right to strike, make union registration problematic, de-recognition of unions easy, the process of conciliation and adjudication cumbersome, winding up labour courts and introducing a tribunal for workers, and overriding power to registrars to de-register unions.”
The government claims all four Labour Codes represent major reforms, including universal social security coverage for gig workers, mandatory appointment letters for all employees, and statutory minimum wages and timely payment across sectors.
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), in its statement, said that a “massive mobilisation” was witnessed across the country in protest against the newly notified labour codes and the “anti-farmer policies” of the central government.
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Its general secretary, Amarjeet Kaur, said protests were held in over 500 districts of the country in which formal and informal workforce from all sectors and the industry participated.
Meanwhile, protests were also held in public sector enterprises, industrial areas, rural areas, and at the block-sub-division level by informal sector workers, agricultural labourers, farmers, and other sections of the common people.
Trade unions and SKM also strongly protested an attack on the worker-farmer demonstration at Dharmanagar, in North Tripura District.
SKM is asking for MSP based on the Swaminathan Commission’s formula and a law to ensure its binding, loan waiver for farmers, stopping privatisation of electricity, and an increase in the number of days and wages under MGNREGA.
At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, former CPI(M) MP and AIKS leader, Hannan Mollah, accused the union government of betraying farmers and workers. “The Modi government has betrayed the workers and farmers of this country. Farmers and workers are united in this fight against the government’s policies,” Mollah said.
Meanwhile, All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) Chairman, Shailendra Dubey, said lakhs of power sector workers protested against the labour codes and the Electricity Amendment Bill. The body argues that the bill proposes multiple distribution licensees to use the existing network of government discoms.
“The bill seems to support privatisation motives. The central government continues to press ahead with its privatisation agenda through the Electricity (Amendment) Rules,” Dubey said.
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