A release stated that the authoritarian rule of the country continues trying to implement new labour laws even if central trade organisations successfully protested throughout the state on May 22 against Narendra Modi’s attempt to violate the rights earned by labourers after struggling for years, during COVID-19 crisis.

Thousands of labourers are facing hardships due to the decrease in work opportunities and not getting full wages for three months, it said. Due to lockdown, about 18 crore workers have lost their jobs and about 35 per cent of the micro, small and medium enterprises have failed to produce their products, the release said.  The increase in unemployment by 27 percent will be a hindrance to economic growth. Many families of labourers will become victims of COVID-19 due inability to acquire appropriate food, it added.  

The release alleged that the government fails to keep its promise to protect the jobs of labourers working at different fields and their wages while fighting COVID-19 crisis. It also fails to fulfill the demand to deposit as sum of Rs 7, 500 to the bank accounts of labourers working in unorganized sectors of micro small and medium enterprises including non income taxpayers, it said. Narendra Modi government also failed to act positively on the demand for supply of food items to the victim labourers of lockdown for six months, it added.   

It is shameful for the government that the Supreme Court advised the government not to charge bus and train fares when migrant workers return homes, it stated.

Electricity workers and engineers protested on June 1 throughout the country against Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, the release said. Workers at defence atomic energy and insurance companies and coal workers are preparing to conduct nationwide protests on June 10 and 12 as well, it added.