JOINT PLATFORM OF CENTRAL TRADE UNION ORGANISATIONS

AND INDEPENDENT FEDERATIONS/ASSOCIATIONS

Joint Circular National protest day on 3rd February 2021

The Meeting of the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations held on

22nd January 2021 at New Delhi discussed at length the prevailing situation and challenges before the trade

union movement and the future course of activities and agitations in the aftermath of the successful

countrywide general strike of 26th November 2020 against the anti-people, anti-worker and anti-national

policies of the Government at the centre.

The meeting also reviewed with satisfaction that immediately following the 26th November General Strike,

the entire trade union movement had been actively involved in the solidarity activities and agitations in

support of the united struggle of the farmers demanding repeal of farm laws and Electricity Amendment Bill

2020 which was initiated by farmers’ massive blockade and stay-in demonstration around the borders of

Delhi and subsequently spread all over the country.

The solidarity activities by the workers and trade unions with the farmers’ struggles have still been

continuing and will continue as per standing decision already taken by the Joint Platform of CTUs and

Federations in the National Convention of Workers held on 2nd October 2020 and reiterated by subsequent

joint circulars and statements.

The meeting has also noted the united intervention by the Joint Platform in the matter of draconian Labour

Codes aimed at imposing conditions of slavery on the working class, by way of its outright rejection

including the draft Rules thereof, boycott of virtual meeting held by Govt., which was again jointly conveyed

by the Joint Platform to the Labour Minister in the tripartite meeting held physically on 20th January 2021.

The Joint Platform also through a written communication to Labour Minister dated 20-01-2021 demanded

that all the Labour Codes including the Rules must be put on hold and the entire issues must be discussed

Code-wise de novo separately and decision be taken on the basis of consensus only.

The meeting of the Joint Platform of CTUs and Federations while discussing its future course of united

activities, recalls the collective understanding underlined in the Joint Declaration of the General Strike on

26th November 2020, that the General Strike of 26th November is the beginning of further higher form of

struggles in the days to come against the ongoing destructive anti-worker and anti-national policies of the

Govt.

On this premise, the Joint meeting has undertaken the following programmes to start with to prepare for

further heightened pitch of struggles based on “defiance and noncooperation”:

1. National protest day on 3

rd February 2021 demanding

A) Scrapping of labour codes and electricity bill 2020

B) No privatisation

C) Income support and food support to all poor workers’ households

D) Against anti-people policies as reflected by union budget

Protest day to be observed through massive demonstrations/mobilizations at the

workplaces, and industrial centres/areas and also burning the copies of the Labour Codes.

2. Three days massive dharna/relay hunger strike at state/ district/ industrial centre level in

the third/last week of February 2021 (dates to be decided shortly).

3. Joint complaint to ILO against the blatant violation of ILO conventions and principle of

tripartism by the Government of India.

The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Federations calls upon the trade unions and

workers in general to carry on intensive campaign in all the workplaces and in residential areas throughout

the country against the destructive anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national policies of the Govt. and make

the above programmes a massive success to pave the way for further combative struggles including multiple

day’s strike in the days to come to fight, defy and resist the destructive and anti-national policy regime.