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Organise against SEZs: HMS

Special Correspondent

KOCHI: Hind Mazdoor Sabha president Thampan Thomas has called upon all trade unions to join hands to fight the Union Government's policy on special economic zones (SEZs).

He pointed out at a news conference that the Centre had recently proposed the setting up of 220 SEZs across the country and many State Governments had warmly welcomed it. The SEZs would get tax holidays and relief from several other obligations, trade unions would be banned, and labour laws would not be applied. In effect, these zones would be like autonomous territories within the country. Mr. Thomas said his union strongly opposed it. He said the State Governments were eager to grab some of the SEZs in the hope that they would create jobs. This was wrong, as the net effect would be that for each job created within a SEZ, 25 traditional jobs would be lost.

The SEZs would end up hurting the interests of farmers and workers.

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