PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Bharat Bandh called by a joint forum of central trade unions had negligible impact in Dehradun and elsewhere in the State on Thursday as members of trade unions and political parties held a protest against the alleged “anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the Central government”.
The Uttarakhand Sainyukt Trade Union Sangharsh Samiti held a protest here against the Central policies which they alleged were weakening workers’ rights and job security. Trade union leaders alleged that the four Labour Codes passed in 2020 which replaced 29 existing labour laws, dilute statutory protection and could permit longer work shifts of up to 12 hours. They said that the reforms undermine safeguards related to wages, collective bargaining and employment stability.
The union leaders also alleged that the State government’s proposed Rispana-Bindal elevated road project in Dehradun would displace a large number of people and raised concerns over reported orders related to extended work shifts.
State secretary of CPI (ML) Indresh Maikhuri said that the central trade unions, farmers’ organisations and opposition parties had led the strike as the government replaced existing labour laws with four new codes that could push workers toward “modern-day slavery”. INTUC State president Hira Singh Bisht, CITU state general secretary Rajendra Singh Negi, AITUC state general secretary Ashok Sharma and representatives of bank employees unions and other workers unions attended the protest.
