While 11 central trade unions had given the strike call to protest against proposed changes in various labour laws, BMS on Saturday decided to pull out and had favoured giving more time to the government in the wake of assurances given during their meeting with a group of senior ministers. At a joint press conference here, the ten other trade unions reiterated their call for the strike and also urged BMS to come back to “the united fold of central trade unions’ movement.”
The unions further said in a joint statement that nothing has transpired in concrete terms after their leaders met with the group of ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for two days last week. “The impact of the BMS pull out will be minimal on strike on September 2.. The decision of the BMS is political. Why they have taken a political decision after staying in the front for more than five years, only they can only answer,” All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta told reporters at the conference. He accused the government of “playing fraud” and said BMS has become “victim of the fraud”. “We believe BMS will not oppose the strike,” said Dasgupta while addressing the conference on behalf of the ten unions. The trade unions have been pursuing with the successive governments at the Centre with their various labour law related demands since 2009. They have already observed three rounds of <g data-gr-id="28">countrywide</g> general strike since 2010, the last being for two days in February 2013.
He further said, “If you go by trade unions’ demand then these demands does not justify BMS going out of it. We appeal to BMS not to oppose the strike and come back to the united fold of central trade unions’ movement.” Dasgupta said that it will be a peaceful strike and except railways, all <g data-gr-id="23">other service</g> would be affected including banks, transport, civil aviation and gas and oil supply. He, however, added that the unions will continue their dialogue with the government on various labour issues even after the strike.
CITU and INTUC shun coal ministry meet
Major trade unions of coal sector from CITU and INTUC decided not to attend the meeting convened by the Coal Ministry on Monday to discuss the September 2 strike, to protest against the proposed stake sale in Coal India. “We will not attend the meeting convened by the Coal Ministry,” CITU-backed All India Coal Workers’ Federation General Secretary Jibon Roy said.
INTUC-backed Indian National Mineworkers’ Federation Secretary General S Q Zama said that they
would also not attend the meeting. Other trade unions also would not attend the meeting, except Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS). To protest against the proposed stake sale in Coal India, its major trade unions will support the strike.