Mumbai Prepares for ‘Warning Morcha’, Over 50,000 Workers to Protest Against the Anti-labour Policies of BJP Government

As the momentum of the victory of historic Kisan Long March prevails across Maharashtra, more than 50,000 people representing various trade unions will take to the Mumbai streets again on International Workers’ Day – observed on May 1. Under the banner of Trade Unions Joint Action Committee (TUJAC), workers will hold a protest – a warning morcha – against the anti-labour policies of the BJP-led state government, at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai.

TUJAC, the committee comprises more than 34 trade unions, including Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS).

A minimum monthly salary of Rs 18,000 for all workers, equal pay for equal work, abolition of contract system, a pension of Rs 3,000 to workers and farmers, complete loan waiver for farmers and employment generation are some of the key demands, which have been pressed by the trade unions.

At a press conference on April 26, Vishwas Utagi, general secretary of Bank of Maharashtra employees’ union and the convener of TUJAC said: “The amendment of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act in 2017 happened in an undemocratic manner. The law says the contractor can employ 49 contract employees, but will not have the legal obligation to give those (sic) Employees State Insurance (ESI) benefits, uniforms, holidays, incentives etc. Close to three lakh small enterprises were closed down during demonetisation and GST introduction, and with no employment generation, the GDP has not even grown to 5.1 per cent.”

“With the blessings of big capitalists, the Union and the state government are politically attacking the labourers, by taking away their rights. So, it is imminent for us to retaliate politically, which is why all the labour unions have come together. Without removing this government, workers’ rights cannot be protected,” he added.

Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS), the trade union affiliated to Shiv Sena – a party that has been a close ally of the BJP and a coalition partner – will also be rallying on May 1 to press for their demands. “We have been opposing the proposed labour reforms and can’t allow it to happen. We need to throw this government out of power,” said Suryakant Mahadik, state president of BKS.

Earlier, CITU had warned the state government that labour unions would approach court if the government fails to form an advisory body for the revision of wages as per the Minimum Wages Act of 1948. Following this, CITU had written a letter to the state labour minister demanding the constitution of the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee (MWAC). Pointing out the absolute negligence of Fadnavis government regarding the labour laws, DL Karad, Maharashtra president and national vice-president of CITU, told Newsclick, “The industrialists supported the BJP, now the party is returning the favour by ensuring that businesses do not need to spend anything more on their workers.”

On the other hand, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(M), will also organise an all-India protest on May 8 against the Centre’s decision to hike the prices of petrol and diesel, and will demand immediate rollback of excise duty hikes. The astronomical rise in the retail prices of petrol and diesel would have a back-breaking impact on the lives of common people and essential commodity prices, CPI(M) said in a press release.

‘The excise duty on petrol has gone up from Rs. 9.48 per litre to Rs. 19.48 per litre in the last four years, from April 1, 2014. This amounts to a hike of 105 per cent and 47.4 per cent of the retail price is going to the tax revenue collection. Similarly, the excise duty on diesel which was Rs. 3.56 per litre on April 1, 2014, has now gone up to Rs. 15.33 per litre. This again amounts to an increase of 330 per cent, while 38.09 percent of the retail price is going to taxes,’ the party has described the trajectory of unusual price rise of petrol and diesel in its press release.

“The Polit Bureau has called upon all its units to observe 8th May as an all India Protest Day demanding the immediate rollback of duty hikes. This is particularly necessary after the central government willingly allows lakhs of crores of rupees as tax waivers to top corporates of the country,” the press release reads.