Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has announced to observe Pension Day on August 1 all over the country to press upon its demand of minimum Rs 3,000 per month pension. On this day, dharnas and demonstrations will be held in front of the Provident Fund Offices and the working places of the employees. BMS general secretary Shri Baijnath Rai made this announcement in New Delhi on July 11.

In a statement Shri Baijnath Rai said pension has become the prime problem for all categories of workers all over the country. The Government has been discussing the issue of Pension Scheme-1995 since 2006 and committees were constituted but nothing could be materialised till date.

He said not a single paisa has been increased in the pension since 2000, in spite of continuous increase in prices of all commodities. Presently, some pensioners are getting only  Rs 12 per month as pension due to the government’s faulty formula. “Therefore, the BMS and other Central Trade Unions have demanded the minimum pension of Rs 3000 per month, linked with  consumer price index. The Government Committee recommended for interim pension as Rs 1000 per month. Even this too has not been considered. So, there is strong resentment among the pensioners of EPS-1995 and the prospective pensions,” the statement said.

Similarly, Shri Rai said, the Government Employees recruited after 2004 are barred from the usual pension scheme benefits as available to the Government employees. The pension schemes for Banking and LIC employees are also in the same fate. It is astonishing to note that MLAs, MPs and several others are drawing a minimum pension of Rs 15,000 per month without any contribution, but the workers are denied and deprived of legitimate pension even after contributing to pension fund. As such, resentment and discontentment is prevailing in the minds of all categories of employees. Therefore, the BMS has decided to observe the Pension Day on August 1 to pressurise the government.                  (FOC)

Call for year long nationwide agitation

A meeting of all Central Trade Unions was held on July 11in New Delhi. It was felt by all the Unions that in spite of all trade union-united-industrial strike on February 28, the Government did not resolve any of the basic  issues of workers, i.e., providing  minimum wage of Rs 10,000 per month for all categories of workers, social security for all unorganised sector workers, regularisation of workmen working as contract workers and workers of Anganwadi, mid-day meal, Ashakarmi etc. and enhancing their payment at par with regular employees, abolition of contract and casual, and outsourcing systems, strict implementation of labour laws etc.  Therefore, the Central Trade Unions have resolved to launch nationwide agitation for coming several months, covering the employees from Panchayat to Parliament level. A National Convention on September 4 in New Delhi will mark the beginning of the year-long agitation.