Workers voice various demands on May Day

Workers voice various demands on May Day
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MAY 1
The commercial capital was literally painted red on Saturday as the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) commemorated May Day at the historic Lohia Maidan.
The impressive meeting that followed at the Lohia Maidan urged the working class to brace for a battle ahead against the discriminatory policies of the government. The meeting demanded promulgation of the floor level minimum wage at the rate of Rs 10,000 per month for the unskilled category.
AITUC Deputy General Secretary Raju Mangueshkar demanded that the government immediately settle the long pending demand of minimum wages for the working class.
He, however, complimented the government for the decision to implement the VIth pay Commission recommendations for the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) employees and Panchayat workers.
Various leaders while addressing the workers have demanded a roll back of the prices of petrol and diesel, set up a national fund for unorganized labour, restore interest rate on Provident Fund deposits at the rate of 12 per cent and recognize the right to organize and right to strike as a fundamental right.
The leaders demanded an immediate stop to the crimes against women and children and demanded that the government stop job losses, retrenchments, closures and lay-offs.
While demanding the implementation of the six hour hour shift, the meeting demanded complete abolition of  the contract labour system.
“This is the capitalist path of development which has to be fought and stalled. This May day 2010 should open up path of resistances by both the organized as well as unorganized workers”, the leaders said, and took a pledge to redouble their efforts to consolidate the unity achieved in 2009.