Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Members of various unions and federations demonstrated at Kranti Chowk on Wednesday as part of a country-wide one-day token strike called by the Joint Action Committee of Workers and Employees for the different demands including repealing the new Labour Codes, an increase in minimum wage and pension.
Even rain could not dampen the enthusiasm of the workers and they also raised slogans.
Industrial workers, bank employees, BSNL, scheme employees, medical representatives and agricultural workers participated in this agitation.
Members of ITUC, CITU, AICCTU, BSNL, Marathwada Labour Union, ASHA workers, sanitation workers, Anganwadi workers and assistant unions joined the demonstration.
Ram Baheti, Mangal Thombre, adv Abhay Taksal, Buddhinath Baral, Sathi Subhash Lomte, Prof H M Desarda, Ranjan Dani, Ravindra Misal, Sudhir Sonawane and Prakash Bansod delivered speeches during the demonstration.
Basavaraj Patne proposed a vote of thanks. Red flags were seen everywhere at Kranti Chowk.
After the protests concluded, a delegation submitted a memorandum of demands to the Resident Deputy District Collector under the leadership of Shrikant Phopse, district coordinator of the Workers' Workers' union Joint Action Committee. Damodar Mankape, Ajay Bhawalkar, Devidas Kirtishahi, Umesh Kulkarni, Basavaraj Patne and Dattu Bhande were present.
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Reasons for nationwide agitation
- Repeal the four new labour codes and strictly enforce labour laws.
- Immediately withdraw of Maharashtra Special Public Safety Bill and pay equal pay for equal work.
- Do not privatise the public enterprises and services.
-Workers should get a minimum wage of Rs 26,000
-ASHA and Anganwadi workers, mid-day meal workers should be given the status of government employees.
- Workers in all sectors should get a minimum monthly pension of Rs 10,000
- Implement all social security for unorganised workers and restore the old pension scheme.
- Abolish GST on medicines.
-The Minimum Support Price law should be enacted for agricultural commodities as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.
-Grazing lands should be registered in the names of those who were allotted and implement the Shabari Gharkul Yojana.
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As part of the strike called by labour unions across the country on Wednesday, the Anganwadi Workers union led by 'ITUC' staged a sit-in agitation in front of the Zilla Parishad. Employees from across the district participated in this protest, which took place in heavy rain. Vilas Shengule, Tara Bansode, Sheela Sathe, Meera Adasere, Shalini Pagare, Umesh Ingle and others participated in the protest, led by union President Prof Ram Baheti.