Trade unions will not allow passing of anti-labour policy: AITUC

COIMBATORE, FEB 27: 

The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has avowed to carry on the battle against anti-people policy, proposed changes in labour reforms, communal forces and fight for development and growth.

"We will at the same time defend national integration," Gurudas Dasgupta, General Secretary, AITUC said.

Speaking to BusinessLine on the sidelines of AITUC's all India Conference now underway at Aysha Mahal in Coimbatore, Dasgupta said that the trade unions would join hands and fight for workers' rights, which is under attack.

The Conference aims to mobilise and unite workers from across the country, he added, pointing to the large number of delegates attending the event here. The four-day conference began on February 25.

"Workers' unity is essential to beat the anti-labour policies of the BJP-led Government at the centre. We will oppose the passing of the labour reforms bill as the Centre is trying to effect changes to suit the corporate and the multi-national companies. If the law is enacted 70 per cent of the workers will be rendered job-less," Dasgupta said emphasising the need for job-oriented growth.

The slogan of the 41st session is "Unity is Strength".

The Government in the name of economic reform is attempting to snatch away and nullify the hard won rights of the working class, he said adding "the growth that the Government claims to have achieved is fictitious; the fundamentals are not in place; agricultural and industrial production is down and employment in the organised sector - negative, only through contractualisation."