Thousands of workers from every corner of the country swarmed to raise their voices in unison at the Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi, as part of Mazdoor Aakrosh Rally organized by Mazdoor Adhikar Sangharsh Abhiyan (MASA). We must salute the workers and organisations for braving all odds to do just what the doctor ordered, with the state of the economy[Read More…]
The working conditions of labor during industrial revolution was characterized by long working hours (12-16 hour shifts), low wages, unsafe working conditions and lack of worker rights. The labor movements which arose articulated for a need to improve the conditions of labor. The demands included the need to have freedom to form association, collective bargaining, having free labor, equal pay,[Read More…]
Written by Thomas Klikauer and Norman Simms In February 2021, Germany’s main business daily, The Handelsblatt, reported that Germany’s grand coalition, consisting for the social-democratic SPD and Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU –reached an agreement on the introduction of a new Supply Chain Law, which in German goes by the unpronounceable word Lieferkettengesetz. The new supply chain act is intended to[Read More…]
A Rehash of anti-worker policies, to serve imperialist and Comprador Big Business interests, in the name of ease-of-doing-business There is little that is new in the labour codes on wages, social security and occupational safety and health; the measure promises a few sops, but further nullifies workers’ rights and dilutes enforcement of labour laws. This is Part-2[Read More…]
There is a debate on what the New Labour Codes recently enacted by the Modi Government mean for the Working-class of the country. The government and the ruling party are claiming that nearly 29 labour laws of the country are simplified into 4 Codes without causing any prejudice to the existing rights and benefits of the workers and[Read More…]
Co-Written by Annesha Mukherjee & Satyaki Dasgupta The popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw a rise according to India Today’s ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll. Similar results were also observed in Gaon Connection-Lok Niti-CSDS survey. Some of the economic policies that his popular government has introduced since the advent of COVID-19 include three Bills on agricultural market reforms, three[Read More…]
On March 24th, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a complete lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. The abrupt lockdown brought every economic activity, except for some essential activities, to a halt. It lead to the shutting down of factories and even small shops, and the workers working in those factories started moving towards their home. The lockdown affected the economy[Read More…]
The ordeals of the migrants and other working classes are not going to end if they survive from the COVID-19. The central and state governments are making sweeping changes to the labour laws to lure capital investments. There is no ideological difference between the BJP and Congress party when it comes to assault on rights of labourers. Both these national[Read More…]
Labour “reforms” – India goes back in time Given the COVID-19 situation, though not with the same enthusiasm, nevertheless the entire world celebrated workers May Day recently. Ironically, here in India in the same month of May, antithetical to the ideal of May Day the major states of India moved to destroy the hard-won gains of the working class. The states ruled by BJP have amended[Read More…]
Back in the headlines Even as we were getting used to a new set of technical terms and headlines, from the brand new name of the virus to social distancing to quarantine, suddenly there reappeared a word that we all assumed had receded for ever from the front page, namely, labour. When is the last that we heard of ‘labour’ attracting[Read More…]
We urge civil society organisations and peoples movements in India to express unconditional solidarity and support to the Central Trade Unions in India as they observe the nationwide protest on May 22, 2020 against the draconian changes in labour laws being brought about by various State Governments in India. The anti-labour virus has spread all over, as shown by the[Read More…]
In Solidarity with the All India Protest organised by Central Trade Unions on 22nd May ’20 the New Socialist Alternative will be participating, demanding the immediate reversal of policy proposals by the Modi government attacking the laws and legislations concerning the welfare of the Working Class of India. Modi’s authoritarian regime has continued its notorious practice of adding more fuel[Read More…]
SARs Cov-2, the virus that has caused the lockdown of 1.3 billion human beings in India has also caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis across the country. The International Labour Organization estimated in April that around 400 million workers were at risk of slipping into poverty due to sudden and unplanned stringent nationwide lockdown. However, a lockdown of such magnitude has[Read More…]
I Through an ordinance on May 6, 2020 the Uttar Pradesh government exempted all factories and manufacturing establishments from prominent labour laws for the next three years. Titled temporary, the stipulations of an already undefined ‘labour law’ mean there is more scope of exploitation in its absence. The consequences of the exemption would mean a frozen minimum wage for three[Read More…]
Suspension of crucial labour laws for varying lengths of time by some of the states viz. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan etc., reflects the paradigm shift in relation to labour policies consequent to Covid-2019. Already the economy is struggling with the lockdown and the labour is starring at the uncertain future. It is claimed that the labour laws have[Read More…]
Co-Written by Aqib Yousuf & And Abass Rather Suspension of labour laws means more exploitation of Workers and more power to the bosses. Workers earned these rights through a lot of toil and sacrifices and consistent struggle. The right to have ‘eight hour work day’ was not simply gifted to the working class. It was achieved by working class through[Read More…]
Indicative of the multi-layered responses on ‘worker-employer-government’ problematic that characterises the Covid-19 lockdown days, the Central trade unions have declared a day of protest on 22 May 2020. CTUOs call has come in the wake particularly of the radical changes in the labour laws being initiated by various state governments. COVID-19, besides the health risks it entail, has also brought[Read More…]
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Place of Minorities as Allotted by Savarkar, Golwalkar and Upadhyaya 
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75,000 Climate Protesters Marched In New York With Demand To End Fossil Fuels 
On the Dark Side of the Moon.. 
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My Amma (Malayalam word for Mother) passed away on August 22, 2023 at 3.10 AM. It is always difficult to deal with the passing of a parent, that too one’s mother. I thought the grief would go away. No it didn’t. All those bitter sweet memories won’t go away. At night I lie awake for hours. My friend, guide and[Read More…]
