RSS-affiliated labour union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has announced it will hold a countrywide demonstration, 'Sarkar Jagao Saptah', from July 24 to 30, on national, state, local and industry-wide demands.

During this one week, the union would press the government to ensure wages and jobs for workers during the lockdown, a national register for migrant workers, withdrawal of orders by states to increase working hours from 8 hours a day to 12 hours and to immediately stop the privatisation in railways and defence.

"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," the union said in a statement.

"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," it added.

The schedule of demonstrations in various sectors will be held on these dates:

1. July 24

- Scheme Workers

2. July 25- Power Sector and Transport Sectors

3. July 26- Private Sector

4. July 27-Government Sector

5. July 28- Financial Sector

6. July 29- Unorganized Sector

7. July 30- Public Sector

On July 24, President Ram Nath Kovind had rejected ordinances proposed by Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to suspend a majority of labour laws.

As many as 17 states have reportedly diluted labour laws to increase the working hours on the pretext that they want to make up for production loss during the lockdown.

First Published:Jul 24, 2020 12:13 PM IST