Workers take out protest march seeking abolition of four labour codes

Workers in Dharwad protest against proposed labour codes, demanding higher wages and social security, planning further demonstrations.

Demanding the abolition of four labour codes proposed by the Union government and urging the State government not to implement them in Karnataka and to press for various other demands, scores of workers took out a protest march and staged a demonstration in Dharwad on Wednesday.

During the protest march taken out under the aegis of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the workers marched from Kalabhavan to the Deputy Commissioner’s office holding placards and banners.

The protestors demanded the implementation of minimum wages of ₹31,000, release of minimum wages to gram panchayat employees, inclusion of remaining employees under EFMS, increase of honorarium for mid-day meal workers, earmarking of ₹500 crore in the budget for providing social security to workers of unorganized sector, among others.

Addressing press persons, State Secretary of CITU Mahesh Pattar, the protest was being held to warn the government during the ongoing winter session and they planned to launch ‘Vidhanasoudha Chalo’ during the forthcoming budget session in the month of February 2025 if their demands were not met. Around 18,000 workers would participate in the agitation, he said.

Along with Mr. Pattar, B.N. Pujari, B.I. Iliger, Gurusiddappa Ambiger, Chandragouda, Channamma Dollin, Sunanda Chigari and others led the protest march.