Ten central trade unions extend support to farmers' call for Bharat Bandh on 8 Dec

New Delhi: A joint platform of ten central trade unions has extended its support to a call of ‘Bharat Bandh’ by farmer organisations on 8 December. The unions had called a nationwide strike on 26 November to protest against recently passed labour codes as well as farm laws, among other issues. The joint forum is of ten central trade unions — Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations reiterate their “wholehearted support to the ongoing united struggles of the farmers demanding scrapping of draconian agri laws”, a joint statement said. The joint platform takes note with satisfaction that from 27 November, 2020 onwards, workers and employees and their unions have been fully active in holding numerous agitations in solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ struggles, in all the states throughout the country braving arrests and intimidation from many of the state administration/police. The joint platform welcomes the firm resolve and determination of the united platform of farmer organisations to intensify the struggles countrywide and extends all support to their call for ‘Bharat Bandh’ on 8 December, 2020, it added. The Joint Platform and Sectoral Federations/Associations call upon the workers, employees and their unions, irrespective of affiliations, to organise active solidarity to the farmer organisations’ call for ‘Bharat Bandh’.