The BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) on Saturday decided to opt out of the central trade unions’ proposed September 2 strike and said it is not the best way out in view of the Government’s assurances on various demands. The BMS’ decision to pull out was taken at a meeting of its core committee here in the capital. On Friday, at a meeting of 11 central trade unions, BMS had suggested calling off the planned strike following the government’s assurances and offering a six-month implementation window. However, the remaining 10 trade unions decided to stick to their guns.
“Since the Government has come forward with positive assurances on our basic demands and assured us to continue dialogue, BMS decides to defer the strike for the time being,” BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay said after the core committee meet. According to central trade unions, there <g data-gr-id="84">are</g> 13.49 crore registered members, including major unions like BMS, Indian National Trade Union Congress, All India Trade Union Congress and Hind Mazdoor Sabha.
These unions are expecting around 40 <g data-gr-id="90">crore</g> organised and unorganised workers to join the proposed strike on Wednesday. Elaborating, he said, “Strike is not the best way out at present. After the assurances by the government, opting for a strike means it’s being done for political motives.” A high-level group of senior ministers had met the top union leaders on Wednesday and Thursday to convince them of withdrawing the strike call and had also promised to look into their various demands, including minimum wages, contract labour and social security.
The ministers’ group, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, had offered <g data-gr-id="93">increasing</g> the minimum wages and making it mandatory, among other steps. The ministerial panel had also proposed to raise the ceiling of bonus, widening the coverage of the provident fund and health insurance to include workers from construction as well as schemes such as <g data-gr-id="78">aanganwadis</g>. The panel comprising Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Power Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh had two rounds of meeting with the trade unions in as many days.
BMS told the other central trade unions on Friday that the government should be given at least six months to deliver on these assurances. Upadhyay said BMS would soon inform other central trade unions about its core committee decision. The meeting of BMS core committee was presided over by its President B N Rai.
According to a report from Kolkata, the West Bengal Government would take all necessary steps to ensure that normal life is not disturbed on September 2, a state minister said on Saturday. “They (trade unions) do not know what the administration can do. We’ll take all necessary steps,” West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim told reporters at the state secretariat. Some trade union including the Left have called for a nation-wide strike on September 2. “People don’t like strikes and troubles. The Left have been rejected by the people. We want peace,” Hakim said.
Two public sector lenders State Bank of Mysore and United Bank of India said on Saturday that their normal banking operations may get impacted in the event of <g data-gr-id="96" data-style="color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 11px; background-color: white;">strike</g> on September 2.
BMS decision unfortunate but will not hit strike: Gurudas Dasgupta
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) on Saturday termed the decision of the BJP-backed Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh to pull out from the September 2 general strike as “extremely unfortunate” but claimed that the BMS exit will have no impact on the agitation.
“The BMS has decided to walk out at the last moment. This is extremely unfortunate. The decision to launch a strike was taken on May 25. All the time they were with us,” said AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta. “In fact, they were in the campaign for the strike. Now, suddenly, they have decided to... this is unfortunate. It will have no impact on the strike.”
Dasgupta, however, maintained BMS’ understanding that Government is positive towards unions’ demands was “wrong” and asserted discussions with Centre have not been “fruitful”. “The Government suggested <g data-gr-id="125">tripartite</g> discussion on the change of labour laws. <g data-gr-id="124">Tripartite</g> discussion is merely a facade to advance their agenda. Therefore, to say that the Government has accepted many of our demands is a falsification of truth,” Dasgupta said.
He further said that “thousands” of workers attached to 10 unions are preparing for the protest, which he said, will be “one of the wonderful strikes the country has seen”. CTUs have been opposing certain proposed labour law amendments which they claim encourage hire and fire practice, make it tougher to form labour unions and dilute existing social security net available to workers at different fora.
Amongst their other demands include providing universal social security cover for workers and stopping disinvestment of PSUs, scrapping decision to allow FDI in railways and defence and “unilateral” changes in labour laws.