LPF and Affiliated Unions Protest in Coimbatore Against Centre and State Governments’ Labour Policies

Coimbatore: The Coimbatore District Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) Council and affiliated unions staged a protest near the Red Cross office, opposing the alleged anti-worker policies of the Central and State governments, the proposed privatisation of public sector enterprises and the leasing of public assets. The protesters also urged the governments to safeguard workers’ rights, protect public institutions and address various demands concerning employees, farmers and public welfare.

The protest was led by LPF Council Secretary CTC Duraisamy. LPF Council President Raakimuthu, Vijayakumar, Joint General Manager of the Telecommunications Department, Federation Joint General Secretary Prabhakaran, Labour Wing State Deputy Secretary Thamizhselvan and other LPF council office-bearers were present at the protest.

Slogans were raised against the Central and State governments during the demonstration. The protesters urged the Union Government to withdraw the four labour codes, abandon the National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 proposal to lease public assets, and withdraw the proposed amendments to the Electricity Act and Seed Act.

They also demanded measures to control rising prices, strengthen the Public Distribution System, protect state rights and accept farmers’ demands for a minimum support price. They further opposed restrictions on freedom of speech and expression and demanded that individuals should not be labelled as “intellectual Naxalites.”

The protesters raised several demands concerning the State Government, including opposition to handing over thermal power plant expansion projects, electricity transmission corridors and other public infrastructure to private entities.

They demanded that smart metering projects, battery energy storage systems and electric vehicle charging stations should not be handed over to private companies.

Other demands included withdrawing the proposal to privatise 200 student hostels, opposing the wholesale handover of 1,000 electric buses to private operators, granting government employee status to Anganwadi and TASMAC workers with regular salaries until retirement, and holding talks with sanitation workers engaged in protests.

Representatives from various affiliated unions, including Civil Supplies LPF’s Rajakrishnan, TASMAC LPF’s Subramani, Electricity Board LPF’s Chandran, Aavin LPF’s Anand, Transport LPF’s Chellappan, Retired Transport LPF’s Balu, Motor Vehicles LPF’s Mohan, Engineers LPF’s Gopal, Tamil Nadu Small Shops and Micro Industries LPF’s Kumararajapandian and CTC Ganesan, among several others, participated in the protest.