Indian labor unions threaten strike

Indian labor unions threaten strike

NEW DELHI (AFP): Leading Indian trade unions on Sunday
threatened to launch a nationwide strike to protest against Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee government's policy of
privatization and relaxing rigid labour laws.

In a joint statement, national labour unions criticized
Vajpayee for his recent statement that liberalization of the
economy was aimed at raising employment and reducing poverty.

The leaders of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC),
Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Centre for Indian Trade Union
(CITU), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and others
met Sunday to determine a course of action.

Vajpayee recently rebutted criticism from the unions about
sensitive labor law reforms and privatization.

"To term these reforms as anti-labor, as some people are
doing, is misleading," he said.

The Indian premier conceded "during the period of transition,
there can be some teething trouble," but pointed out that no
worker had been retrenched in the country's decade-long economic
reforms.

The unions said in a statement they would agitate against the
"thoughtless privatization of profit-making and potentially
viable public sector undertakings including defense sector
industries."

The labor leaders also vowed to oppose tooth and nail changes
in labor laws that would strengthen the hand of employers at the
cost of workers, which they said would increase unemployment.