AITUC celebrates May Day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 02 2019: All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Manipur State Committee observed International Workers' Day yesterday at GM Hall, Imphal.

AITUC, Manipur president Dr M Nara, general secretary L Sotinkumar, secretary CITU, Manipur Ksh Shanta, Professor Chinglen Maisnam, TUCC Manipur secretary Kh Gyaneshwar, UTUC Manipur secretary K Manoranjan and INTUC Manipur general secretary Y Ranapratap attended the event as presidium members.

Speaking at the event, AITUC Manipur general secretary L Sotinkumar said that May Day or the International Workers' Day has its root in the United States of America.

It started with the demand of the workers for 8 hours work a day in the 1880s .

On May 1, 1886, more hundreds of thousands of workers across the United States walked off their jobs demanding 8-hour work a day, he said.

Thousands of workers on January 8 and 9 staged mass protest rally all across the country for their rights.

The various demands including concrete measures to contain price rise, creation of qualitative employment, payment of wages and benefits to contract workers at the same rate as available to regular workers of the industry/establishment concerned, amendment of Minimum Wages Act and fixation of statutory wage at Rs 18,000 per month are yet to be delivered, Sotinkumar said and called for pledge to carry forward the struggle to achieve the demands.

The 8 hours work declared a century ago has not yet reached millions including workers of unorganised sectors, he said.

Minimum wage norms decided in 1957 by the National tripartite boy ILO is yet to become reality in respect of almost all workers at the bottom level, he added.

Exploitation and ill treatment to workers is common in service sectors including airlines, hotels, call centres, private hospitals, banks etc, Sotinkumar said.

Dr M Nara also talked about May day and appealed all to work for equal treatment to workers.

He pointed out then need for strong workforce to grow the State and the Nation.

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