It is deplorable that the Govt did not bother to give any credence to the recommendation of the National Commission for the Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) constituted by the Govt itself in this regard.
The Commission recommended and forwarded to the Govt drafts of two separate comprehensive legislations for the unorganised sector workers and the agricultural workers along with a social security scheme.
In fact all the trade unions in the country jointly urged upon the Govt on 11th August 2007 to finalise the Bills on the basis of the Commission's drafts in consultation with the CTUOs and introduce in the current session of Parliament itself.
Unfortunately, the Bill being brought by the Govt with just providing for constitution of an advisory board along with open-ended indication on some welfare schemes without any firm commitment of universal coverage, justiceability and funding mechanism is basically designed to hoodwink the mass of the unorganized sector workers.
The overwhelming majority of the country's workforce making a major contribution to country's workforce making a major contribution to country's growing GDP numbers do not warrant such treatment.
CITU strongly denounces such an approach of the Govt and urges upon them to reformulate the Bill for the unorganized sector workers in line with the drafts recommended by NCEUS and concrete suggestions made unanimously by the country's trade union movement.
CITU, as a follow up to the countrywide strike action by the unorganised sector workers on August 8, 2007, calls upon the working class to intensify united struggle to force the Govt to enact a comprehensive legislation for the unorganized sector workers.
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions
marketing@alchempro.com
