BMS to observe ‘Sarkar Jagao Saptah’ from July 24-30, nation-wide demonstrations planned

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has decided to observe Nationwide “Sarkar Jagao Saptah” from July 24-30 on problems of the workforce at the National, State, Industry and Local level. Sector-wise demonstrations will be held at State Capitals, District Headquarters, Tahsil / Block Centers and also in all big Industrial estates.

The decision was taken at the Virtual meeting of National Office Bearers of BMS held on 7th July 2020 which was presided over by National President Sri CK Saji Narayanan and convened by General Secretary Sri Virjesh Upadhyay.

The National office bearers assessed that 3 days Coal strike had affected 95% activities in the sector and congratulated entire Coal workers and Coal Federations for making the strike a grand success and creating a new hope among workers. BMS Strongly feels that the success of Coal Strike will have an outstanding impact on the entire Public Sector and Government Sector employees.

BMS has identified 5 major burning issues Viz. 1) Problems of unorganized Sector Workers particularly migrant workers issues; 2) Non-payment of wages; 3) Huge job losses; 4) Suspension of labour laws and increasing working hours in many States and 5) Unbridled Privatization by selling PSU’s and also through Corporatization of Defence & Railway Production Units. Each Industry-level Federation and State Units will highlight the problems related to their respective fields.

As a part of “Sarkar Jagao Saptah”, BMS activists will contact grassroots level workers/employees of each sector and educate them about the Central as well as State Governments’ latest policies and their severe impact on labour. It will also expose the anti-workers Ordinances brought by 4 State Governments and increasing of working hours from 8 to 12 hours by 12 State Governments.

Each day workers belonging to one particular sector will conduct processions and Street-Corner meeting /Public meeting / Hall meeting as per the Local situations by following all the Covid-19 norms.

The following is the Schedule of demonstrations in various sectors-

1. July 24-Scheme Workers [ASHA, Anganwadi, Midday meal workers, NHM Workers, 108 Ambulance workers etc.]

2. July 25- Power Sector and Transport Sectors [Private & Public Transport]

3. July 26- Private Sector [Cement, Engineering, Jute, Textiles, Sugar, Distilleries, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Representatives & Industrial estates]

4. July 27-Government Sector [Railways, Postal, Defence, Central Govt. establishments, Local bodies, State Govt. employees]

5. July 28- Financial Sector [Banking & Insurance Employees]

6. July 29- Unorganized Sector [Beedi, Plantations, Forest workers, Fish workers, Loading & Unloading workers, Construction workers, Tailoring workers, Domestic workers Street Vendors, Agriculture labour]

7. July 30- Public Sector [All PSU units like BHEL, NTPC etc., Coal, NonCoal, Mining, Steel and Maritime Employees.]

Virtual meeting of BMS National office bearers has reviewed its “Save Public Sector- Save Nation” Programme held on 10th June and expressed happiness over the best performances of PSU units.

In response to the call of Central BMS to meet members of Parliament, our activists have contacted Parliamentarians belonging to different parties and requested them to raise their voice in favour of labour in both houses. BMS received very good responses from the MP’s.

BMS directs all its units to work in cooperation with independent Unions, other Industrial Federations in the Sectoral Demonstrations during this week.