PANJIM: All major trade unions and independent associations affiliated to All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) on Tuesday held a massive rally in support of nationwide strike against anti-labour and anti-people policies of the government.
The public rally started from KTCL bus stand, Panjim and went round the city shouting slogans against the government’s faulty policies which have deeply hurt the common man, salaried and working people.
Addressing the workers, AITUC General Secretary Christopher Fonseca said that the two-day strike was to protest the rampant corruption, unchecked price rise of food items of mass consumption, increase in the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG cylinders, rising unemployment, increasing poverty, rampant violation of labour laws and the government’s failure to provide social security to the unorganised labour.
Fonseca demanded a fair and minimum wages, abolition of contract labour system, credible and adequate social security measures such as maternity benefits, old-age pension and supply of food at cheap rates through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and food and income support at Rs 7,500 per month to non-income tax households.
A detailed memorandum was submitted to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant highlighting the problems and issues to be resolved by the State government along with copies to all the concerned heads of departments.
The rally unanimously also resolved to send a detailed memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting all the demands raised by all the trade unions pending with the Government of India.
AITUC Deputy General secretary Raju Mangueshkar, Secretary Suhaas Naik and President Prasanna Utagi addressed the rally.
