Trade unions seek President's intervention in providing relief to workers

Ten central trade unions have urged President Ram Nath Kovind to direct the Centre and respective state governments to take pro-labour measures for improving the condition of workers hit by disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter dated July 24, the unions claimed the "sudden and unplanned national lockdown" imposed by the Government of India affected working people. Migrant workers were the worst hit.

"We urge you (President of India Ram Nath Kovind) as the Constitutional Head of the Government of India to direct Central and state governments for reliefs (for workers)," the 10 trade unions said in the letter submitted to the President.

The unions are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. They said that the Centre and states should be directed to adequately compensate the dependents of those migrant workers who lost their lives due to sudden lockdown affected from March 25, 2020.

The governments must provide free ration to all non-income- tax-paying people for the next six months, irrespective of whether they hold any ration card.

A person who is not paying income tax to be paid an amount of Rs 7,500 per month for the next six months and pension of Rs 3,000 per month linked to cost of living to all above 60 years of age;

The unions have demanded to issue smart ID cards to all workers linked with their Aadhaar card which should be useful for social security benefits.

They should also be directed to cancel the privatisation plan of public sector enterprises and services including state transport, LIC, banks, insurance, coal, BPCL, Air India, airports, telecom, ports and dock and municipal services etc.

The unions further asked to increase budgetary allocation for implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, and the daily wage should be enhanced from Rs 202 to Rs 500.

Some of the other demands of the unions include withdrawing the reported proposal to convert 41 ordnance factories into a corporation and then to privatise the same and to convert the Army Base Workshops

They demanded the withdrawal of the move for the corporatisation of railway production units and handing over 109 railway routes to private sector and privatization of railway stations, and put on hold any labour law amendments through the codification of all labour laws into four codes

The unions have also asked the President to direct the Centre and states to launch a drive to recover loans from willful defaulters, by using criminal prosecution and invest in and expand health, education and agriculture.

The unions said the above measure will help improve the condition of the workers across the country.