 Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 21: Keeping physical distancing and WHO guideline in view all the workers working in Construction Sector , BRO, Hydro Power Projects, Loading & Unloading, ASHAs, Industrial sector, peasants, agricultural workers, employees, Youth and students in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir observed a protest day by showing placards, slogans for 5 to 10 minutes at 10:30am today on the nationwide call of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
In a press statement issued by state committee of CITU comprising of Om Parkash, General Secretary, S.P.Kesar, Sr leader of CITU, Muzafar Wani vice president, Jagdish Sharma and Jia Lal Parihar, Abdul Rashid Nazar, Secretaries, it is said that the BJP government has been totally apathetic and insensitive to the miseries of the workers, particularly the unorganised sector workers, migrant workers, contract workers etc. Even while announcing extension of lockdown up to 3rd May, the Prime Minister failed to even refer to the plight of the workers.
There was nothing about the measures to ensure implementation of his government’s own guidelines through statutory enforceable measures. Instead of providing adequate financial resources the Prime Minister is limiting himself to only words and Prabachans. None of the issues of the migrant workers are addressed, letting them to die out of hunger. The health personals and workers of essential services are also left with no PPEs and even masks or gloves.
Even the police is getting infected. Workers including public sector workers, IT/ITES workers and journalists and media workers are getting retrenched daily. Meanwhile the government is reported to be going ahead with anti worker measures like increasing working hours from 8 to 12 per day. The government which has given out around 15.62 lakh crores to the corporates is not ready to even give Rs.7500 per non income tax paying families. The peasantry, agricultural workers and even MSMEs are being neglected.
The committee urged upon the government to accept the demands including - stop any attempt to increase working hours from 8 to 12,arrange food and shelter for all migrant workers, provide protective gear for all frontline health and essential service workers, ensure risk allowance to all frontline health care workers, stop retrenchment of contract, casual, outsourced and other workers and employees, stop retrenchment of journalists, IT/ITES employees, ensure wages to all, take strict action against employers violating the directions/guidelines issued by government of India related to non termination and payment of wages to all workers and employees, transfer not less than Rs.7500/- to the bank accounts of all non income tax paying families for 3 months, ensure agricultural operations, provide financial aid for farmers for harvesting, transport etc, expand Employment Guarantee Scheme to urban areas; Increase work under MGNREGA to 200 days in a year, pay pending wages for MGNREGA workers, provide financial support to MSMEs, take measures to stop domestic violence, provide interest bank loans to Self Help Groups etc.
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