Trade unions to stage dharna on March 5

KOCHI: The State unit of the Joint Trade Union Committee will stage a dharna in all the districts in the State on March 5 demanding steps for controlling the price rise of essential commodities. The other demands raised by the committee include social security cover for workers in unorganised sector, steps for compensating the job loss following the economic slowdown and ending the privatisation of public sector units.



Nearly one lakh workers will participate in the agitation, said committee leaders M.M. Lawrence and Kanam Rajendran.



In Kochi, the workers will organise a dharna at Ernakulam Boat Jetty. In Idukki, dharna will be held in four taluk centres.



The committee pledged its support for the March 2 vehicle strike demanding the rolling back of fuel price hike. INTUC leader Elsebius Master, TUCI leader Charles George and BMS leader K.K. Vijayakumar were also present at the press conference.



Container trailers serving the Kochi Port will join the strike motor vehicles strike on Tuesday, said a press release from the Trade Union Coordination Committee here on Monday.



The latest hike in petrol and diesel prices will plunge the already troubled container lorry business into further trouble, said the press release. The Coordination Committee also appealed to the Union government to withdraw the recent petrol and diesel price hike.