Punjab: Union intensifies strike for lockdown wages after Labour department declares it illegal
13 June 2020: On 23 May 2020 workers at the Nabha unit of Hindustan Unilever went on strike under the banner of Milkfood Worker Union demanding payment of wages for the lockdown period for the 1700 permanent and contract workers employed at the unit. On 12 June 2020 the Labour department issued a communication declaring the strike to be illegal under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 thereby opening the channels for the HUL management to take action against striking workers. However, workers have decided to strengthen the strike and not let go of the wages for the lockdown period.
Andhra Pradesh: Contract Municipal Workers demand regularisation
13 June 2020: Over 40,000 honorary, contract and temporary workers employed by various municipal corporations in the state have been staging protest across districts demanding regularisation of jobs from 10 June 2020. Workers under the banner of Andhra Pradesh Municipal Workers and Employees Federation will observe ‘Civil Disobedience, Non-cooperation’ on 3 July 2020 joining the call of 10 Central Trade Unions for a countrywide strike against anti-worker policies of the government.
Central Trade Unions call for countrywide strike on 3 July 2020
05 June 2020: 10 Central Trade Unions have come together oppose the anti-worker policies of the government and its proposal to privatise coal blocks and the ordnance factory board. The Joint Trade Union Action Committee has issued a call for countrywide protest on 3 July 2020 against government’s complete failure in containing the jobs crisis and its treatment of workers during the lockdown which forced lakhs of workers to walk back to their villages.
Delhi: AIIMS health workers on strike against poor working conditions amid outbreak of COVID-19
3 June 2020: AIIMS Nurses Union went on strike on 1 June 2020 demanding implementation of a uniform four-hour shift with personal protective equipment in COVID-19 areas of the Centre-run hospital, a uniform rotation policy between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 areas, and establishment of proper donning and doffing area. This has come in the wake of rising COVID cases among health workers at the hospital. Since February 1, as many as 329 healthcare workers including four faculty members, 17 resident doctors, 47 nurses, 86 hospital attendants, 62 sanitation staff and 77 security personnel among others have been infected by the virus.
