Centre has no right to privatise PSUs: Sanjeeva Reddy

KOCHI: INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy has demanded the Union Government to withdraw from its move to privatise the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). “The government has no right to privatise the PSUs. The government has already received three-fold the amount it had invested in these PSUs. Since these enterprises are the assets of the workers and people, the government has no right to disinvest the PSUs,” he told reporters on Sunday, after the two-day INTUC national working committee.

He said the INTUC would not allow privatisation of profit-making PSUs. “The government will have to privatise only those PSUs which have been making losses for the past 10 years, for their survival,” Reddy said.

He also urged the government to put an end to all kinds of contract appointments. “Women should be provided ample job opportunities and the INTUC will launch nationwide protests demanding this,” Reddy said. He said all labourers should be brought under the coverage of pension scheme. Lashing out at the Union Government, he said the Centre should back off from the move to amend the labour law by including anti-labourer policies.

“The minimum wages policy should be implemented. The NDA Government which proposes bullet trains should focus on enhancing the safety measures in the Railways. Of the three lakh posts lying vacant in the Railways, 1.5 lakh come under the security category. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is giving scant regard to such basic matters,” he said.

INTUC warns of stir

As part of intensifying its protest against the BJP-led Union Government, the INTUC national working committee meet has decided to lead the joint trade unions and launch an agitation. “An indefinite stir will be launched in protest against the anti-labour policies of the Centre. The INTUC is planning to launch a one-week token stir as a warning to the Centre.

Discussions will be held with the other unions and the dates of the proposed stir will be announced later. If the anti-labour policies figure in the upcoming budget, protests will be launched on the day of the budget presentation itself. A meeting of the joint trade union committee will be convened after the budget presentation and decide on the agitation,” Reddy said.