BMS to approach Opposition MPs for help against amendments in labour laws

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RSS-backed trade union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has decided to approach MPs of opposition parties to put pressure on BJP-led governments at the Centre and various states to revoke amendments in labour law, The Hindu Business Line has reported.

This has come after the trade union received no response from the central and state governments on recent anti-worker labour law amendments, said the report.

In a meeting of the national office-bearers, state general secretaries and federation general secretaries of the BMS, chaired by president CK Saji Narayanan, it was decided that the union will approach all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members on five key issues. These include the pathetic condition of migrant workers, huge job losses, refusal to pay wages, unilateral suspension of labour laws and increase of working time to 12 hours, apart from unbridled privatisation, the report stated.

In the meeting, participants expressed anguish against the state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat for not withdrawing the “anti-worker ordinances suspending labour laws” as well as the 15 state governments for increasing working time to 12 hours a day, BMS’ General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay was quoted as saying.

After the meeting, Narayanan told the publication that a detailed memorandum will be submitted to each Member of Parliament, irrespective of the party they belong to.

The district-level leaders of the union will meet MPs even if they belong to Congress or Left parties to press their agenda, said Narayanan, adding that the step is in the national interest.

“Workers are going through severe distress. Job and wage losses will have huge repercussions on the national economy,” he said.

The BMS has also decided to organise massive contact programmes to educate workers on the changes brought in different fields related to organised and unorganised workers, said the report.