Landless labour unions stage protest in Jalandhar, seek wage hike

Baldev Singh Noorpoori, a labour union activist, said the state government had failed to address the concerns of landless labourers over the past four years and had made only false promises regarding their welfare

Rural and agricultural labour organisations staged a state-level protest in Jalandhar and marched towards chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in city on Wednesday to press for their long-pending demands, including hike in minimum daily wages, debt waiver and increase in social welfare pension.

Baldev Singh Noorpoori, a labour union activist, said,“The labourer unions were promised a meeting with the chief minister five times over the past four years, but none took place.” (HT Photo)

Baldev Singh Noorpoori, a labour union activist, said the state government had failed to address the concerns of landless labourers over the past four years and had made only false promises regarding their welfare.

“The labourer unions were promised a meeting with the chief minister five times over the past four years, but none took place,” he said.

Tarsem Peter, state president of Pendu Mazdoor Union, said that before coming to power, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had promised employment to the jobless, eradication of drug abuse within three months, registration of houses located within the Lal Lakir areas, increase in widow, old-age and disability pensions.

“However, none of these promises have been fulfilled. Instead, Punjab became one of the first states to implement the anti-worker labour codes introduced by the central government,” he said, referring to recently notified VB G RAM G (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission) scheme.

The unions demanded the repeal of VB-GRAM G scheme, restoration of MGNREGA with year-round work, an increase in the minimum daily wage to ₹700, increase in social welfare pension to ₹5,000 per month, allotment of 10-marla residential plots to landless labourers and loan waiver.