CITU calls for nationwide strike on Aug 8

Nashik, Aug 7: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) today called for nationwide strike of unorganised workers on August 8.

Talking to reporters here, the Maharashtra CITU unit committee general secretary D L Karad said a huge morcha of workers from unorganised sectors such as domestic helpers, construction workers, masons, plumbers, labourers, bicycle rickaw pullers, autorickshaw drivers, vegetable vendors, sanitation workers, contract workers, beedi workers, barbers and ragpickers will be taken out from Bhalekar High School grount at 1400 hrs.

The morcha will pass through various parts of the city before culminating at the district collectorate here, where they will submit a memorandum to the Collector, he said.

As part of the strike, a series of agitations will be held at various parts of the state.

Mr Karad said a 'rail roko' agitation will also be held at Andheri in Mumbai.

He said the strike has received support from various organisations such as Nashik Zilla Kamgar Kruti Samiti, Kisan Sabha, State Government Employees' Association, India Security Press, Mazdoor Sangh, National Railway Mazdoor Sangh, Maharashtra Domestic Workers' Federation and Bidi Workers' Federation.

Their demands include an all inclusive act which will be regularise and control the working hours of workers in the unorganised sectors, providing them with minimum wages, holidays, bonus, insurance and pension schemes, separate act for farm labourers, implementation of major labour acts for the unorganised workers, re-enactment of contract workers' act, equal wages for women workers, and houses and yellow ration cards for them.

UNI