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Rallies, public meetings mark May Day

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MAY 1. Hoisting of trade union flags and garlanding of the May Day Memorial were the highlights of May Day celebrations here today.

With general elections slated for May 10, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) jointly organised processions and held public meetings.

One rally started from near the Munroe Statue on Anna Salai and wended its way along Wallajah Road and Zambazaar and reached Triplicane. Participants raised slogans against the ``anti-democratic'' National Democratic Alliance Government and the ``vindictive action'' by the AIADMK Government.

Another rally began from near the Elephant Gate police station and reached Vallalar Nagar where a public meeting was held. The DMK candidate for North Chennai, C. Kuppusamy, participated.

The day was celebrated by the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Indian National Trade Union Congress, the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai and the National Federation of Telecom Employees.

Members of the Unorganised Workers Federation took a pledge in front of the Labour Statue to unite the working class beyond differences of caste, party politics and religion and to promote socialism, social equality and peace in the nation.

The members also demanded that the Centre withdraw its social security scheme. Calling it `bogus', they said the provisions of the policy were `anti-poor'.

``The Social Security scheme envisages equal contribution from the employer and the employee for provision of pension benefits. However, it does not make it binding on the employer. So, how can we expect employers to pay anything?'' asks R. Geeta, all-India secretary, Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam.

A complaints commission on sexual harassment as well as a mechanism for dispute resolution should be set up, she said.

Members of the Ambedkar Makkal Kazhagam garlanded the May Day Memorial at Chintadripet here.

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