Ten Central Trade Unions—INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC—along with Sectoral Trade Unions, organized a spirited National Convention of Workers in New Delhi today. The event commenced at 11:00 AM at Pyare Lal Bhawan, with the Presidents of all ten Central Trade Unions presiding over the proceedings.
Among those who addressed the convention included Ashok Singh from INTUC, Amarjeet Kaur from AITUC, Harbhajan Singh from HMS, Tapan Sen from CITU, Harish Tyagi from AIUTUC, K Indu Prakash Menon from TUCC, Lata Ben from SEWA, Rajiv Dimri from AICCTU, Jawahar Prasad from LPF, and Ashok Ghosh from UTUC.
During the session, General Secretaries of all ten trade unions addressed the gathering, highlighting concerns over the anti-worker and pro-corporate Labour Codes. They strongly criticized the Modi government’s neo-liberal economic policies, which they argued favor corporate interests at the expense of workers. Speakers also condemned the government’s actions that curtail trade union rights and facilitate the exploitation of national wealth by corporates.
The Convention unanimously passed a four-page declaration, demanding:
- Immediate repeal of the four anti-worker Labour Codes
- Halt to privatisation and disinvestment of Public Sector Undertakings
- Minimum wage of ₹26,000 per month
- Immediate convening of the Indian Labour Conference
- Fulfillment of other key demands
In a significant decision, the Convention resolved to organize a nationwide general strike on 20th May 2025, pressing for the acceptance of the charter of demands. A copy of the declaration is enclosed.
The CTUs said in a statement that the convention was being held in the background of the Centre’s “stubborn stand” to implement four Labour Codes.
The CTUs said the Centre had formulated Rules for the Codes without following the democratic procedure of bilateral discussions with CTUs and without holding Indian Labour Conference, the tripartite body which had not met since 2015.
“The three codes were introduced in Parliament in September 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis when the total Opposition had walked out of both the Houses of Parliament. No discussions were held in Parliament on the Codes,” the CTUs said.
“These Codes, brought in the name of ‘ease of doing business,’ are anti-labour and pro-employers. Apart from this, the government has not responded till date to our 17-point charter of demands,” the statement said, adding that the convention would review the situation and chalk out a future programme of action to be taken up collectively by the trade unions. “A declaration to that effect will also be adopted in the convention with details of campaign programmes,” the statement said.
