INTUC to fight for workers of unorganised sector

GUWAHATI: Indian National Trade Union Congress ( INTUC) today said the labour outfit is focusing on organising the unorganised segment workers who form majority of the country's workforce.

Speaking to reporters here, INTUC national working president Dinesh Sundriyal said in Assam the trade union body would intensify its work in the tea gardens and among the youths.

"Our primary effort is to organise the unorganised sector workers and bring them under the ambit of labour laws. Most of the unorganised sector workers are working in pathetic conditions with no social security," he said.

Among the main areas targetted by the trade union are farm labourers and those who work in brick kilns.

Sundriyal said INTUC has demanded minimum wage for employees in all states, besides medical and educational benefits for families of workers and adherence to the eight-hour duty hours.

Referring to the labour situation in Assam, Sundriyal said the union will demand day care service for children of women tea garden labourers.

"One of our major aims is to eliminate middlemen who stand between workers and the management and take away benefits meant for the working people," he said.

A new ten-member committee of INTUC's Assam unit was formed today with Ranjit Banerjee as convener. The committee has been tasked to form a state executive body within 15 days.