Manipur to join nationwide mass cease work strike today
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 01 2015:
Coordinating Committee Body of Trade Unions Manipur has announced to observe a cease work strike by staging a sit-in protest in front of the office of Electricity Employees Association, Keishampat, as part of the nationwide general strike to be launched by Indian Trade Unions on Wednesday.
Chairman of the Union, L Sotinkumar during a press meet held at Irabot Bhawan said that the protest will be participated by unions, associations and 84 federations in the state, apart from Anganwadi employees.
Sotinkumar said that Indian Trade Unions has presented a charter of demands to the Government of India including urgent measures for containing price-rise through universalisation of public distribution system and banning speculative trade in commodity market, containing unemployment through concrete measures for employment generation, strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measure for violation for labour laws and universal social security cover for all workers.
The Trade Unions' demands also include minimum wages of not less than Rs 15,000/- per month with provisions of indexation, enhanced pension not less than Rs 3000/- per month for the entire working population, stoppage of disinvestment in Central/State PSUs, stoppage of contractorisation in permanent perennial work and payment of same wage and benefits for contract workers as regular workers for same and similar work.
Other demands are removal of all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident fund, increase the quantum of gratuity, compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days from the date of submitting applications and immediate ratification of ILO Convention C 87 and C 98 against Labour Law Amendments against FDI in Railways, and Insurance and Defence.
Sotinkumar demanded the Manipur Government to declare Manipur as a flood affected State and compensate the loss of farmers in the recent flood, immediate repair of National Highways in Manipur, regularization of contract and casual workers, honorarium increase of skill labourers and proper place of street vendors.
The BJP led Government at the Centre has announced National Floor Level Minimum Wage of Rs 160 which is not even one third of the Central Trade Union's demand, he said.
"We are demanding the minimum wages so that labourers can live like a human being not like an animal," added Sotinkumar.
He appealed to all employees of the state to support the protest which will begin at 6 am and continue till 6 pm.
Meanwhile, All Manipur Road Transports Drivers' and Motor Workers' Union and its branches, Branch Office Surface Transport Hills Area Drivers Welfare Union, Surface Transport Eco and Environment Society Nagaland and Senapati District Driver Welfare Union have also announced to support the Wednesday's cease work strike.