NEW DELHI: Thousands of workers on Friday staged protests across the country against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government's decision to bring down the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) interest rate to 8.5 per cent ignoring the demand for retaining it at 9.5 per cent.

Trade union activists, barring the Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), organised demonstrations, gate meetings, processions, rallies and dharnas to protest against the Government's "unilateral" decision to bring down the interest rates.

The leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-backed Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and the Left-leaning Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) also sent telegrams to the Prime Minister seeking restoration of the EPF interest rate.

Submit memorandum

The CITU protesters also submitted memorandums to the local administration and the regional provident fund commissioners across the country to press their demands.

Appeal from workers

"We have received an appeal from the workers that the trade unions should further intensify the agitation to get the demand accepted," CITU president M.K. Pandhe said.

Rallies and demonstrations were also held in Rajasthan, Haryana, West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Workers organised gate meetings in all the major industrial centres, including Kanpur, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The agitation will continue till the Budget session of Parliament.

All trade unions will soon sit together to chalk out the course of action.

The EPF interest rate was reduced to 8.5 per cent from 9.5 per cent for the financial year 2004-05 despite protests by trade unions and a joint memorandum submitted by over 75 MPs belonging to the Rashtriya Janata Dal, DMK and the Left parties to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The other unions participating in the protests include the HMS, United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), UTUC-LS and All-India Coordination Committee of Trade Unions.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail