Letter from National Trade Unions to Chief Minister of Bihar regarding on-going strike of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers

PRESS RELEASE

8th December, 2023

To,

Shri Nitish Kumar ji,

Hon’ble Chief Minister, Bihar state.

Sub : Settle the ongoing strike of the Anganwadi Workers in Bihar state by discussing with the Joint Action Committee formed by all unions.

Respected Sir,

We are the Joint Platform of ten Central Trade Unions, namely, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC. We are concerned about the anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national stand taken by the Central Government, which we are fighting against relentlessly.

In this context, we urge you to intervene immediately to settle the on-going strike of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, called by a Joint Action Committee of their unions, since 29 September 2023 for their legal and genuine demands.

The news about brutal lathi charges by the police and termination of more than 15000 of Anganwadi workers and helpers, is shocking to say the least. The Joint Action Committee formed by all the unions have given several representations to the concerned department i.e. Women and Child Development and also to the State Government, regarding their genuine demands, but they have not even been called for discussion, though it was an electoral promise to double the renumeration of Anganwadi workers in Bihar. Please see that the dismissed Anganwadi workers are reinstated in their original posts.

It is necessary, especially at this juncture, to demarcate clearly from the Central Government policies. We also therefore expect that your Government will not take any steps in the direction of implementing the hated four labour codes, enacted by the Central Government, in the name of “Labour Reforms”.

We therefore urge you to kindly intervene in the strike as early as possible and ensure the settlement of the issue by discussing with the Joint Action Committee formed by all the unions.

Yours sincerely,

INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC