Pune: The coronavirus outbreak has left millions of people in the unorganized sector with a hazardous condition and even the workers are left with a starving situation. A lot of suicides are taking place due to the financial crisis. To solve this problem, the members of the constituent unions of the Worker's Union Joint Action Committee Pune unit, staged agitation outside various factories in the industrial area of Pune district to change the government policies and get government's help.
As many as 50,000 workers participated in it. Protests were also held at the Deputy Labour Commissioner's Office in Pune. Proclamations were made against the government. After the protest, application addressing the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister was handed over to Additional Labour Commissioner, Shailendra Pol.
Speaking to Sakal Times, the union leaders Mohan Pote and Anil Roham of the trade union action committee said, "We are been assured that all the demands would be conveyed to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister. Our basic norms are that all our labour laws would be complied with at the local level."
This agitation was supported by the senior leader and comrade Ajit Abhyankar of CITU, Manohar Gadekar of Intak, office bearers of Shramik Ekta Mahasangh, AITC, Rashtriya Shramik Ekta Mahasangh as well as leader Kiran Moghe and other activists including Rekha Kamble were present.
He added, "Our demand is to provide us financial assistance that should be given for six months and also the migrant labourers should be provided free transportation from their villages as staying in the city with little earning is tuff and expenditure is more. The implementation of various government schemes under the MGNREGA employment guarantee scheme should be started in the city soon. All school and college student's fees should be waived-off, electricity bills should also be waived. All workers should be hired. The decisions made during the coronavirus outbreak to repeal labour laws should be reversed."
He added, "Forgive the debts of the farmers and help them for the Kharif crop. Separate loan-interest repayment concessions should be announced for such sections of people who run rickshaw-taxi-driver-owner-small trader-entrepreneur."
