CITU cadres stage demonstration;

SALEM: Cadres of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a demonstration in front of the Head Post Office here on Tuesday as part of the nationwide stir in protest against the attempts of Union and State governments to dilute employees’ trade union rights.

The protestors said that the Central Government had failed to control the spiralling prices of essential commodities, which they pointed out had badly affected the poor and needy.

They said that the attempts to dilute the labour laws and deny the trade union rights to employees of various firms, especially in auto majors and IT industry, had increased. Many intimidating tactics were adopted to threaten the activists in big firms and industries of multinational companies.

These firms employed more number of workers on contract basis to exploit them with minimum wages. Rights were denied and employees were harassed. None of the labour laws were adhered to. Consolidated wages had become the order of the day. Welfare boards were not functioning well.

They insisted that the governments should immediately desist from attempt to dilute labour laws, which would affect the employees’ morale. P. Panneerselvam presided over the agitation. Agitations were held at Sivadapuram, Mettur and Yercaud.

(Courtesy: The Hindu)

CPIM : Andhra Pradesh government skipping debates on major issues

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has expressed apprehensions that the ruling Congress party may take advantage of the prevailing uncertainty in the State to avoid discussions on important public issues in the coming budget session of the Assembly.

“The government was trying to cover up its mistakes by skipping discussions on major issues. It had ‘strategically’ adjourned the previous session abruptly and could do the same now,” CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu said appealing to all political parties to join hands in foiling the government’s attempts to render the upcoming session a “namesake one”.

He told reporters on the sidelines of the party’s two-day State committee meeting here on Wednesday that taking advantage of the ongoing agitations for and against separate Telangana State, the Congress government had already announced several “anti-people and harmful measures”.

Price issue

The government which failed to address the spiralling rise in prices was, however, trying to dilute the public distribution system reducing quota of rice, sugar and other commodities being supplied through fair price shops.

Responding to queries, he said the parties agitating for separate Telangana could raise the issue on the floor of the Assembly instead of disrupting the proceedings.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)