On late night of 18th Sept 2020, Ashim Roy and Vijay Panchal, President and Secretary of CMP along with 8 workers leaders of National Bearing Company were arrested in Vadodara Dist on the pretext of maintaining law and order in the context of trade union activity in the industrial belt in the district; several MNCs are also situated in this belt. On 19th over 2000 workers demonstrated against this illegal arrest following which the leaders were given bail.

IFTU condemns this interference in normal trade union activity and holds it indicative of the intention of BJP RSS Central and state govts to finish off the trade union and labour rights of workers altogether and to which end they are doing away with all labour laws altogether in the name of bringing Labour Codes. We condemn the Gujarat Govt’s arrest of the trade union leaders and the clear attempt to frighten workers from exercising right to unionize and support the CMP struggle for upholding right of workers to organize and to trade union activity. We call on working class of India to fight to defend trade union rights and demand scrapping of Labour Codes.

Aparna      B. Pradeep

President    GenSecretary

National Committee IFTU

19th September 2020.