Hans News Service Rajamahendravaram

A joint action programme by central trade unions and farmers’ organisations against the labour and public policies of the Central Government will be announced at a convention to be held at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on June 29, AITUC State General Secretary S Venkatasubbaiah said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference here, he alleged that the Centre’s policies were detrimental to workers and common people. He warned that any move to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant would trigger a massive agitation across Andhra Pradesh, stating that the industry was established through the sacrifices and struggles of students and youth.

Referring to the recent accident at the steel plant, Venkatasubbaiah described it as highly unfortunate and said trade unions would continue their fight until justice was delivered to the affected workers’ families. He said a delegation of central trade unions would visit Visakhapatnam on June 24 to assess the situation at the steel plant.

He criticised both the Central and State governments for their failure to enact a comprehensive welfare law for workers in the unorganised sector. He further alleged that the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was part of a larger effort by the Centre to weaken the legislation. Venkatasubbaiah also accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of forgetting the promises made to workers during the previous elections.

Speaking on the occasion, AITUC State Treasurer B V P Kondala Rao demanded the withdrawal of the Labour Codes and restoration of the earlier labour laws. He said that 154 employees and workers’ organisations would jointly formulate a common programme of action at the June 29 protest in Delhi. AITUC State Vice-President Tatipaka Madhu, District General Secretary K Rambabu, Working President Allam Venkateswara Rao, District Vice-President V Kondala Rao and other union leaders were present.