Central Trade Union call Nation wide bandh on Feb 28
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 26 2012: The Central Trade Union has called a country-wide general strike pursuing various demands on February 28 .

Co-ordinating Body of Trade Unions, Manipur will also join the stir to be imposed from 6 am to 6 pm in the State.

Although, nine Central Trade Unions will jointly clamp the general strike in other States, it will be called in the State by six different Central Trade Unions.

Speaking to reporters in a press conference held at Irawat Bhavan today, Co-ordinating Body of Trade Unions, Manipur Convenor L Sotinkumar said, staff of banks, LIC offices, telecom, telegraph, transport and post offices would cease works on the day.

Drivers, rickshaw pullers and mutiya workers and street vendors would also join the stir, he added.

Sotinkumar further said, around 400 mutiya workers would stage sit-in-protest from 10 am to 2 pm at Dharmashala on the day.

Various trade union leaders would address the sit-in-protest, he added.

The ongoing HSLC and HSSLC examinations would be exempted during the general strike, said the convenor and added that examinations which fall on the day have been postponed in West Bengal.

He added that the stir would demand for taking up of necessary measures to curb price rise/inflation, providing concession packages to entrepreneurs, implementation of basic labour laws, taking up of measures to curb violation of labour laws, providing universal security to unorganised sector workers, preparation of national security fund and funding to profit earning PSUs of Central and State Governments.

The stir would also demand stringent punishment to individuals who loot national wealth, confiscation of black money stashed away to foreign countries, providing of equal wage and benefits to contract workers and regular workers, taking up of necessary steps to provide atleast Rs 10, 000 per month to workers with the amendment of Minimum Wages Act, increment of gratuity and providing pension to all the citizens of the country.

The general strike would also press on issuance of registration order to trade unions within 45 days of application, implementation of convention numbers 87 and 98 of ILO, providing wages and honarium regularly to workers engaged under Central sponsored flagship programmes and preparations of a street vendors policy.

The stir would also demand for repeal of AFSPA, completion of national highways construction within one year, setting up of a highway protection force, providing employment allowance to unemployed youths, setting up of industries which can generate more number of employment, providing free education to wards of workers in Government and private schools.

Sotinkumar said that another reason for calling the general strike is that the State and Central governments have failed to fulfil the demands of the trade unions although different forms of agitation have been staged from time to time.

He added that the government has given hardships to general public by increasing electricity and water taxes, prices of diesel, petrol, fertilizers and other essential commodities.

Joint Convenor of the Co-ordinating Body, Ksh Shanta said that the Government must provide pension to workers of unorganised sectors as well.

It is also informed that many shopkeepers of Thangal Bazar and Paona Bazar have not got their salary due to lesser business after new traffic system was put effective, he added.

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