India: Trade unions demand free universal vaccination, protection of jobs on May Day
...Trade unions observed a token protest in industrial belts on May Day, and said workers' unions were fighting a genuine battle seeking their right for fair wage, decent living, and dignity of labour. Amid a massive second wave of covid-19, the unions are now demanding universal free vaccinations for all and opposed any move to market link vaccine pricing.
...They added “scrapping of the pronounced vaccine policy and ensuring free mass universal vaccination for all" is a necessity as lakhs of people are getting infected every day and thousands are losing their battle to the virus.
The unions also demanded that government should consider giving Rs7,500 per month cash transfer to poor families, besides free ration during the pandemic.
...“We want dignity of labour, we demand jobs and fair wage, we are demanding social security," said Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary of AITUC. She reiterated that anti-labour policies need to be scrapped and demanded that job creation should be a priority. She said the new vaccination policy of the Union government is unfair and will do injustice to the people.
They also sought that any order under Disaster Management Act issued by any authority imposing restrictions on movement, curfew, etc. must accompany strict order on all employers and all concerned banning retrenchment, wage-cut and eviction from residences, etc. and the same must be strictly enforced.