MARGAO: Goa Convention of Workers (GCW), a joint platform of trade unions and mass organisations, held a public meeting on Friday in Lohia Maidan to make an appeal to the public to join the All India General Strike that will be held on January 8 and 9, 2019 to oppose the ‘anti-people policies’ of the government.
“The policies of the government have hurt the working people. Sweeping changes are made to the existing 44 labour laws in the name of labour reforms and codification to enact four anti-workers, pro-employer labour codes to help employers higher and fire”, GCW stated in a press note issued after the public meeting.
The consortium further stated that working hours have increased, real wage has declined, trade unionism is not allowed, protests are suppressed and statutory benefits have been withdrawn.
The GCW has placed 21 demands before the Government which include price control, protection of the self-employed (taxi, bus, rickshaw operators, artisans, etc), demand to start mining in Goa in a sustainable manner, 80 percent employment guarantee for locals, stop disinvestment of profit-making government companies, farm loan waiver, removing ceiling on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident fund, gratuity, revise minimum wages of all schedules of employment to Rs 20000 per month and abolish contract labour.
Prasanna Uttogi, the convener of the All Goa Bank Employees Union, slammed the government for proposing new laws which allowed fixed-term employment and compared it along with contract labour to slavery.
