Garhwal Post Bureau
Mussoorie, 1 Apr: Labour organisations affiliated with the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) launched a frontal attack against the Central and State governments, staging a vigorous protest against the four new labour codes. Organised as a ‘Black Day’ of protest, the event saw workers accusing the government of violating labourers’ rights and submitted a memorandum outlining their various demands.
Led by Mussoorie President RP Badoni, activists from the labour organisations gathered at Picture Palace Chowk. From there, raising slogans, they voiced their outrage against the government. Following the demonstration, a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister was forwarded through the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Mussoorie.
The labour organisations assert that the four labour codes implemented by the Central Government are anti-worker in nature and result in an erosion of labourers’ rights. They demanded that the State Government refrain from implementing these laws within Uttarakhand. Their specific demands include lifting the freeze on the payment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to workers employed in hotels, schools, shops, and tea gardens; fixing the minimum daily wage of construction workers at Rs 1,500; halting the unregulated proliferation of hotels and resorts in Mussoorie; strictly enforcing minimum wage laws across all sectors; and establishing effective controls over rising inflation and the black marketing of cooking gas.
Furthermore, they demand the rehabilitation of the 121 rickshaw pullers affected by the Rickshaw Abolition Scheme implemented by the Municipal Council.
Labour leaders RP Badoni and Devi Godiyal issued a stern warning: if their demands are not addressed promptly, an indefinite strike will commence in Mussoorie starting 1 June. Employees from hotels, schools, restaurants, and various other sectors are expected to join this strike. They stated that the lives of workers are in jeopardy due to a continuous stream of anti-labour policies, and they will no longer remain silent. They further warned that if the situation does not improve, the agitation will be intensified. In a tourist hub like Mussoorie, such a movement could potentially have a significant impact on the local economy. In light of this situation, finding a speedy resolution to the workers’ grievances is becoming a major challenge for both the administration and the government.
Present on this occasion were Prem Singh Khanduri, Jagdish Uniyal, Sanjay Tamta, Faheem Ahmed, Shahzeb, and others.
