Unions, farmers unite against drafts of labour policy, Electricity (Amendment) Bill

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella organisation of various farmers’ organisations, and the platform for ten Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have decided that workers and farmers from every district of the country will submit memorandums to President Droupadi Murmu against the draft Electricity Amendment Bill and the draft Labour Policy of the Union Labour Ministry. The joint memorandum will be submitted to the President through district collectors on November 26.

The joint meeting of the CTUs and SKM held last week reiterated their resolve to continue “coordinated and synchronised actions in solidarity to challenge the pro-corporate, anti-worker, and anti-farmer policies of the Central Government.”

The meeting decided to hold one-month campaigns on the CTUs and SKM’s charter of demands, as well as their common issues in all districts and state headquarters, which will culminate on November 26. “The leadership everywhere will submit a memorandum of concerns and demands addressed to the President of India. The meeting noted that it is most urgent for the masses to campaign to safeguard secular democracy, to push back against the pro-corporate, anti-labour, anti-farmer, and anti-national oppressive policy framework of the Central Government, which is becoming more vindictive and oppressive,” the joint statement said.

The statement added that the Union Government is serving the interests of international finance and has failed to protect Indian farmers, workers, small businesses, and trade against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff regime. “New attempts are being made to privatise public sector enterprises and public services, the latest being the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 and the draft Labour Policy by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Attempts are being made to circumvent state governments to carry forward the agenda of four labour codes, and grab farmers’ land through the state machinery,” the statement added.