'Wages have not risen. Rural wages have stagnated. The growth was 0.7 per cent last year. For casual and irregular labour, the wage growth is negative.'
The rash of strikes and the killing of the HR head of Pricol exactly a year after Graziono Transmissioni's CEO was killed by sacked employees indicate a tough year ahead.
Leaders of the Delhi units of trade unions, including All India Trade Union Congress and Indian National Trade Union Congress, on Tueday charged the government with being indifferent towards the problems of Indian migrant workers and demanded a migration policy for them.
The views of the trade unions who met the finance minister on Wednesday, run contrary to the demands of India Inc, which called for disinvestment of public sector enterprises to fund the widening fiscal deficit. They also suggested increasing corporate tax rate so that more money can be transferred from the rich to the poor.
India has successfully negotiated the protection of its steel export interests under the free trade agreement with the UK, ensuring 85 per cent of its outbound shipments remain outside Britain's steel safeguard measures. This consensus addresses a key sticking point ahead of the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) coming into force on July 15.
With labour disputes involving demands for higher wages increasing across China, a top trade union official has demanded democratic election of union leaders to ensure their better functioning at grassroot level.
Opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, and RJD, have strongly criticised the government's decision to impose a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000 made to merchants. They allege the move is a result of "American imperialism" and will lead to increased commodity prices, while the government maintains the charge is on merchants and not consumers, with person-to-person transactions remaining free.
The White House has launched a major crackdown on the 'Great Transhipment Scam', accusing India and over 40 other nations of helping Chinese exporters bypass US tariffs by misrepresenting the origin of goods. The US plans to use AI-driven monitoring and anti-transhipment clauses in future trade agreements to strengthen enforcement.
The opposition has intensified its criticism of the government's decision to impose a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, effective October 15. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Jairam Ramesh allege the move is a result of US pressure, particularly from American card companies, and demand an immediate rollback, warning of increased costs for consumers.
The opposition has strongly criticised the government's decision to introduce a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 for merchants, effective October 15. They allege the move is a result of US pressure and will lead to increased commodity prices, calling it a "betrayal" of the common man. The government, however, clarifies that customers will not be charged, and the MDR applies only to merchants for larger transactions.
The Congress party has accused the Indian government of imposing new charges on UPI transactions due to pressure from the United States, specifically to benefit American card companies. The opposition party demanded the withdrawal of the decision, calling it "anti-national" and alleging it fills the coffers of US firms while burdening Indian citizens. The government, however, clarified that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges apply only to commercial transactions above Rs 2,000 and are not levied on consumers, a stance supported by the BJP which accused Congress of spreading "fake news".
Mahadevan, who said that trade unions had dropped their plans to hold a protest during Chirac's upcoming visit, also accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of ignoring anti-Clemenceau pleas.
Gaps in labour legislation and India's reluctance to ratify two ILO conventions are stoking disputes over trade union recognition between managements and workers.
The red brigade's call for forming trade unions for BPO employees was cold-shouldered by the $5.2 billion outsourcing industry, even as a research firm welcomed it.
'All these reports and announcements by the US seem like attempts to gain a lever in trade deal negotiations with India.'
While demanding an increase in income tax exemption limit, the trade unions suggested that the rates of personal and corporate income tax for those in high income brackets should also be enhanced.
Finding that the draft common minimum programme was "inadequate", the central trade unions on Monday said it was not "acceptable" to them and laid out over a dozen demands to the new government headed by Prime Minster Manmohan Singh.
Bharatiya Janata Party-backed Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh boycotted the convention, reason for which was not known immediately.
Major trade unions, except the BMS, will go on an all-India strike on February 24 against the SC's order on banning strikes by government employees.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government's plan to establish a high-powered committee to examine reforms for the banking sector, aligning it with the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) and India's next phase of growth.
The ten trade unions are National Trades Union Congress, All India Trade Union Congress, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, All India United Trade Union Centre, Trade Union Coordination Centre, Self Employed Women's Association, All India Central Council of Trade Unions, Labour Progressive Federation and United Trade Union Congress.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are set to hold comprehensive talks focusing on a bilateral trade deal, defence cooperation, and energy and critical minerals sectors during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.
BRICS Sports Ministers adopted a Joint Declaration in Visakhapatnam, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen sports cooperation through dialogue and mutual respect. The meeting, held under India's 2026 Chairship, saw Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya call for a BRICS Sporting Partnership and introduce three key initiatives: a Working Group on Sports Technology, a Sports Manufacturing Conclave in Udaipur, and Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games in Ahmedabad in 2026.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has accused armed BJP men of vandalising the party's Camac Street office in Kolkata, damaging property and stealing items. The BJP has denied the allegations, calling them staged. The incident further intensifies the political confrontation between the two parties in West Bengal, following a recent dispute over a billboard at the same premises.
India has attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) worth approximately 4,896 crore across 29 projects since May, following the government's relaxation of norms under Press Note 2 of 2026. The revised rules permit investment without government approval from entities with up to 10 per cent non-controlling ownership by land-bordering countries.
Individual banks should break away from the industry pact and have their own settlements with the unions, recommends Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
New Delhi must look for formal, institutional statements issued directly from Washington rather than rely on casual pronouncements meant for local audiences, notes Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Trade unions on Tuesday went one step ahead of Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on the issue of CEOs' salaries suggesting their remuneration must be regulated by law as 'self-regulation is no remedy'.
Trade unions have threatened to continue with their street protests if the Centre fails to heed their demands following the nationwide strike call on September 7.
'Tariff action relating to the excess-capacity investigation will be even more susceptible to judicial overturn.'
More a lobbying group than a true union, association is a sign of changing times.
The unions, CITU, AITUC, BMS, INTUC, HMC, AUITUC, TUCC, AICCTU and UTUC demanded that the government stop disinvestment of public sector units and bring in a lagislation to protect workers of unorganised sector.
Professor Subha Shankar Sarkar has resigned as the head of a five-member committee investigating alleged ABVP vandalism at Jadavpur University, citing his inability to conduct an effective inquiry, prompting the university to seek a new chairperson.
Indian farmers staged a significant protest at the Shambhu border against a proposed India-US trade deal, fearing its detrimental effects on the domestic agricultural sector and demanding its immediate abandonment. They later ended their agitation after assurances from the Haryana Agriculture Minister regarding the release of detained farmers and a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister.
Though the general feeling among the majority of the workers is that of a relief as the management finally asked them to join work from December 2, a section of workers started demanding inclusion of the 25 workers who had been chargesheeted by the management earlier.
'Workers are the people who create all the wealth in this country. How can you call them anti-national?'
The Kerala High Court has made a land mark judgment by coming out strongly against the militant trade unions in the state.
The Centre has notified 40 questions for the upcoming Census 2027, including caste and place of Covid vaccination, marking the first time caste details will be collected as part of the decadal exercise. The population enumeration will be a fully digital process, with an option for self-enumeration.
While all indicators pointed to economy drastically slowing down due to lack of demand, the government continued to steer its policies in the name of 'ease of doing business', aggravating widespread impoverishment and deepening the crisis further, the unions alleged.
Says govt offer a positive move and Wednesday's one-day stir should be deferred; others not impressed enough, especially Left
