The AITUC protest morcha will start at 9.30 am, from the KTC bus stand and proceed to Azad Maidan where it will culminate in a public meeting. The unions are protesting what they claim the ‘insensitivity shown by the Modi government towards the labour class and its anti-people and anti-labour policies.’
AITUC’s other long-pending demands include bringing down prices of petroleum products, LPG cylinders and other essential commodities, no to ‘contractorisation’ of work of permanent/perennial nature, removal of ceilings on payment and eligibility for bonus, provident funds etc.
Further, the AITUC had demanded that minimum wages of unskilled workers be fixed at Rs 15,000 per month.
General Secretary Christopher Fonseca said that Modi’s BJP government which claimed to be unbiased and fair has introduced legislation and policies only for corporate houses and multinational companies. “Thousands of workers and their families who are still affected by the ban on mining are going through a lot of suffering. It has been nearly 30 months since mining operations have been stopped which has had a cascading effect on the Goan economy and yet the government has not shown any effort to resolve the current mining impasse,” he said.
He demanded that the government should protect the jobs and source of livelihood of mining dependents in Goa.
