Various organisations and trade union bodies comprising workers from different fields, including railways, transport and the service sector, took out marches and organised various programmes, including felicitations to senior workers, to mark May Day or International Labour Day here on Wednesday.
At the Labour Day programme organised by Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) at Municipal Employees Hall in Hubballi, 21 senior workers from various fields, including panchayat offices, transport and mid-day meal programmes, were felicitated.
Honorary district president of the CITU B.N. Poojari said that in the days of neo-liberal policies, there was a need for further intensifying agitations to ensure democratic rights for workers, farmers, farm labour and others. He said that irrespective of the governments in power, there was a need for agitations to change the pro-corporate policies into pro-worker policies.
Recalling the history of Labour Day, district secretary of the CITU Mahesh Pattar said that agitation of workers in Chicago’s Haymarket in 1886 was an inspiration for workers of the world even today. “This year, the World Federation of Trade Unions has declared that the wealth generated should go to those who created it. Now, there is a need to fight for creation of a society where everyone has equal opportunities and May Day should be our inspiration,” he said. District president of the CITU B.I. Iliger presided over the programme.
Karnaaka Vidyavardhaka Sangha vice-president Isabella Xavier and others spoke. Earlier, workers from different sectors took out a march from Indira Glass House covering the thoroughfares of the city before reaching the venue of the May Day programme.
At Chitaguppi Hospital in Hubballi, senior employees Reni Jacob, Jasmine Munigeti, F.A. Savanur, Lalita Sonavane, Annapurna and others were felicitated at a May Day programme organised by INTUC.
District president of INTUC Bangaresh Hiremath, HDMC Health Officer Parbhu Biradar and others felicitated the employees.
Similarly, various other organisations, including TUCC and trade unions of South Western Railway, took out marches on the thoroughfares of the city and staged demonstrations at Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi.