Haryana: Workers of JNS Instruments Ltd. striking for union formation and regularisation, arrested by Police
30 March, 2022: Over 130 workers of automobile parts manufacturer JNS Instruments Ltd. in IMT Manesar, Haryana were arrested by the Police for demanding regularisation of their services and recognition of their union. Out of a total workforce of more than 1200 workers, only 40 workers have permanent jobs in the factory. Most of the workers have been working on contract, earning minimum wages for over 10 years. Instead of negotiating with the workers, management has responded by suspending union activists, seeking Supreme Court orders to prevent workers’ protests. Despite the arrests, other workers have continued the protest at the factory gates.
Workers embark on 2-day countrywide general strike despite restraining orders from Courts, state governments
28 March, 2022: Workers across sectors went on a 2-day countrywide general strike on the call of Joint Forum of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations under the slogan “Save People, Save Nation” with a 12-point charter of demand including scrapping of the 4 Labour Codes, no more privatisation of and divestment in Public Sector Undertakings, regularisation of all contract and scheme workers, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme, social security for all workers, reduction in taxes on essential commodities, amongst others.
Karnataka: Tata Marcopolo workers demand wage revision, benefits and end to harassment of workers
27 March, 2022: Workers of Tata Marcopolo’s Dharwad factory took out a protest rally demanding compliance of the Labour Court order directing the company to reinstate 7 workers who were unlawfully terminated for union work, wage revision and an end to harassment of workers by the management. Despite close to 80 meetings, the management has refused to hike their wages in the past two years while salaries of managerial staff have been revised regularly.
Meghalaya: Ad-hoc School Teachers go on protest demanding equal pay, regularisation
22 March, 2022: Ad-hoc School Teachers of Meghalaya began an indefinite protest demanding pay equivalent to that of Government school teachers, and regularisation by way of upgradation of ad-hoc schools. Teachers have been on an indefinite sit-in protest outside the Board of School Education following a protest rally in Shillong under the banner of the Federation of All School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM).
Karnataka: Contract workers of BWSSB protest demanding equal pay and rights for equal work
16 March, 2022: Contract workers of the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) held a protest outside Cauvery Bhavan demanding ‘equal pay for equal work’, an 8-hour workday, paid leave, timely payment of wages, provident fund and ESI benefits at par with permanent employees doing the same work.
Technicians of Air India Engineering Services strike for pay revision and full-time employment, receive termination notices
15 March, 2022: More than 1,700 Aircraft Technicians employed on “fixed-term contracts” by govt-owned Air India Engineering Services Ltd. (AIESL) went on an indefinite ‘tools down’ strike demanding pay revision, dearness allowance and a full-time employment contract. The management has responded to the protest by issuing termination notices to striking technicians.
Scheme workers protest outside parliament, demand increased allocations, minimum wages and pensions
15 March, 2022: Hundreds of scheme workers – Anganwadi workers and helpers, Mid-day Meal workers and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) – held a protest outside the Parliament demanding an increase in budgetary allocations for the three respective government schemes under which they are employed. They also demanded a minimum wage of Rs. 26,000 per month instead of the paltry ‘honorarium’ and recognition as government employees as opposed to ‘volunteer’ status.
Kerala: Zomato delivery workers protest cancellation of incentives and allowances, suspension of accounts
13 March, 2022: Zomato delivery workers held a protest in Thiruvananthapuram against reduction in daily incentives, weekly petrol allowance of Rs. 1500, waiting charge of Rs. 1 per minute as well as pickup charges. Protesting workers also raised the issue of arbitrary suspension of accounts of those workers who raise their voice against anti-worker policies of the company.
Tamil Nadu: Retrenched workers of Hindustan Motor Finance Corp continue hunger strike, demand reinstatement
01 March, 2022: Retrenched workers of Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation’s car plant in Tiruvallur district continued their hunger strike demanding they be reinstated or be given their land back. More than 300 permanent and contract workers were retrenched by the company after it had transferred its assets to PCA Automobiles, in violation of the Employee Transfer Agreement signed between the management and the union. Hindustan Motors had acquired around 190 acres of land to build the plant decades ago, with the promise of employing the dispossessed people.
