Maharashtra Citu Azad Maidan Protest Nhm Workers Demands Fadnavis Meeting

The three-day sit-in protest organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) at Azad Maidan ended on Wednesday after a delegation of union leaders met Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan, who assured them that a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would be convened by the end of the month to discuss their demands. Thousands of National Health Mission workers including from both organised and unorganised sectors, such as, hawkers, powerloom workers, beedi workers, industrial labourers and scheme workers from across Maharashtra took part in the protest, which began on June 1. Following the meeting, workers began returning to their respective districts on Wednesday after 8pm. Shubha Shamim, state vice-president of CITU and president of the Anganwadi Employees’ Union, said, “The delegation submitted a memorandum highlighting key demands, including regularisation of workers, a minimum monthly wage of Rs 30,000, implementation of provident fund, ESI and pension benefits, establishment of welfare boards for workers in the unorganised sector, and withdrawal of the four labour codes, which the union alleges would weaken labour protections and make it easier for employers to hire and retrench workers.” Also Read | Why Manoj Jarange-Patil’s ninth hunger strike for Maratha quota fizzled out Mahajan assured the delegation that their demands would be placed before the Chief Minister and that a meeting would be organised by the end of June. Shamim added, “While the government has agreed to hold further discussions, no concrete commitment has been made on our demands. The workers are returning to their districts, but the struggle will continue until their issues are addressed.”