KADAPA: The Central Government's economic policies led to rise in disparities in the country, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) district secretary B. Ramaiah said on Tuesday.

AITUC functionaries took out a May Day rally from RTC bus stand to Kalakshetram, where a meeting was held. While the rich got richer, crores of unorganised workers languished for want of minimum wages and lived below poverty line, Mr. Ramaiah said. The Central Government's policies benefited capitalists and amendments mooted to labour laws were aimed at preventing formation of workers' unions.

PSUs weakened

Public sector units were being weakened and doors being opened for multinational companies, he alleged. Agricultural lands were being allotted to multinational companies in special economic zones, thereby affecting farmers' interests, he alleged. The working class should unitedly resist the policies and safeguard their rights, he added.

CPI city secretary G. Chandra, AITUC city secretary C. Subrahmanyam and APSRTC Employees Union State secretary S.V.B. Rajendra Prasad, zonal secretary M.N. Reddy, Mahila Samakhya leader Vijayalakshmi and members of several unions participated. CHITTOOR: The district unit members of AITUC workers union and Hamalies association took out a procession on Tuesday on the main streets of Chittoor town in connection with May Day celebrations. Speaking on the occasion, AITUC district president Nagaraj exhorted the workers to be united and strive to achieve their just demands peacefully.

INTUC members of sugar factory and Nutrine factory celebrated May Day here.

KURNOOL: AITUC and CITU celebrated May Day at over 180 centres in the city. The CITU sponsored flag hoisting at 150 places. MLA M.A. Gafoor inaugurated the arch and addressed a meeting at Indira Gandhi Nagar. CPI (M) district secretary T. Shadrak, Ramanjaneyulu and others were present.

Workers' demands

TIRUPATI: More than merely taking out processions, hoisting the red flag, bursting crackers and shouting slogans, the working classes observed May Day in a purposeful way in the city.

Demands were made for the recognition of contract workers as NMRs, fixation of working hours and incentives, elimination of hunger deaths among the working classes and above all, they dreamed of a day when worker is viewed with due respect and dignity.

At programmes organised by AITUC and CITU in several places, speakers expressed shock over the repression of working classes. While workers were mercilessly gunned down for demanding a slash in working hours in the year 1886 that led to a resurgence of labour power, a change in the attitude of the management was unfortunately not to be seen till now, they lamented. Renigunta branch of Akshaya Kshetram, a voluntary organisation for women and special children, organised a workshop on `Women labourers - Psychological health' at the Scavengers colony. C. Swarajyalakshmi, principal of SP Women's degree college spoke on the importance of education, while Dr.Rajani, a nutrition expert from SPMVV explained the need for intake of nutritional food by working women.

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