Maha: RSS affiliate slams Centre, NITI for 'anti-people' labour policies

Members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh on Saturday slammed the NITI Aayog for its anti-people policies.

A BMS workshop is being held here between July 13 and 17 and over 120 important office bearers of 32 units of the outfit were taking part.

Addressing a press conference, BMS 'mahamantri' Binay Kumar Sinha said pay revision negotiations were underway between the employees and management of Coal India Limited but the latter was taking a negative approach by offering just 3 per cent hike to workers.

"Employees have demanded 50 per cent hike in minimum guarantee benefit. We want a honourable settlement. This burning issue was discussed at the workshop. We also want the Union government to implement the labour codes as soon as possible," he said.

The wage and security codes are historic with lots of benefits to workers and employers, but some provisions in the industrial relations code and the occupational safety, health and working conditions code are not in the interest of workers, Sinha added.

"The industrial relations code will finish off trade unions. We want the Union government to make necessary changes in the two codes. We also oppose privatization, corporatization and monetization. We want the government to look at options like cooperatives and take stakeholders into confidence," he said.

"The Planning Commission earlier used to give suggestions. But its replacement NITI Aayog is full of representatives of multinational companies and they are giving suggestions which are not people or society friendly. Unfortunately, the government is pursuing their suggestions," Sinha alleged.

The Union government must ensure wage, social and job security to all, adding that BMS planned to hold a massive protest in Delhi on November 17 if its demands are not met.

He claimed the government planned to ban 'bidi' in the name of cancer despite it being "herbal and not chemical tobacco".

"Cigarettes, other forms of tobacco and liquor are more harmful but the government will not touch these sectors as they are run by big people. Over 4.5 crore people are attached to the bidi sector," he said.