PANAJI: There was lukewarm response to the nationwide industrial bandh called by all major trade unions in the state, on Friday, under the banner of Goa Convention of Workers, in support of central-state demands placed by the trade unions, and to oppose ‘the anti-people and anti-labour policies of the central government.’
In the city, barring banks all the government offices, urban health centre, hospitals, clinics, shops, bars and restaurants and market were open, and traders did brisk business in view of the fast approaching Ganesh festival.
General secretary of All India Trade Union Congress Christopher Fonseca said that “we’re patriots like late Lala Lachpatrai,Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, and others. It requires a lot of courage to have one-day strike.”
Fonseca said, “What you see – the rise in salary and hike in bonus, is the effect of the unions going on strike. When the Prime Minister came to know about the need, he provided support price to the farmers. The voice of the people is the voice of God.”
The struggle of the people will continue, he said, adding this is not an end or the beginning of the struggle.
“We have not gone for Goa bandh as said by the Chief Minister as we are Goans. We do not want Goans to face inconvenience during the festive season,” he said.
He said that the unions are also part and parcel of Goa, and will not take any rash decision to put the lives of Goans into trouble, and added that this strike was to awaken the government from its deep slumber over anti-labour and anti-people policies.
“The Modi government is trying to break the unity among the unions, and exploit the workers and give powers to corporates,” he said and added that the BJP government is against the labour class, and of late it has become worse than the Congress government as new laws are being enacted against the labour class.
“We had demanded Rs 18,000, but they are giving Rs 9000,” he said adding if FDI is allowed in the retail sector, we will be thrown out on the road.
Earlier in the morning, workers employed in various industries, mines, shipyards, banks, insurance companies, and government departments gathered at the Kranti Circle and then proceeded to Azad Maidan in a morcha amidst shouting of slogans in support of their demands.
The morcha culminated into a public meeting.
The trade union leaders like Subhash Naik, John Nazareth, Suhash Jeorge, Steven Fernandes, Tara Kerkar, R D Mangueshkar and others spoke on the occasion.
Speaker after speaker denounced the anti-labour and anti-people policies of the NDA government at the Centre and government in the state.
The meeting unanimously resolved that the government must fulfil the demands of the working class in the state.