Mysuru:  The first District-level Labour Conference, under the aegis of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), was held at Maharaja’s College Centenary Hall here on Sunday.

Inaugurating the programme, AIUTUC State Secretary K. Somashekar observed that lakhs of workers have lost their jobs in the country owing to the Centre’s anti-labour policy supporting capitalists.

He bemoaned that wages are being given to workers as alms and added that contract workers are treated as bonded labourers. He pointed out that the unorganised sector is totally neglected with no social security.

Continuing, Somashekar observed that prestigious organisation like BSNL, Railways and sectors like Banking, Insurance, Education and Health are likely to get privatised.

Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI)-Communist District Secretary B. Ravi pointed out that manufacturing sector is badly hit by Government policies. He suggested workers to unite and fight for their rights.

Procession: Earlier to the stage programme, hundreds of workers took out a procession from Gun House Circle to the programme venue voicing their demands like stopping privatisation of public sector, abolition of contract labour system, equal wages for equal work and a minimum wage of Rs.21,000.

State Secretariat Member M. Shashidhar, AIUTUC District President V. Yashodara, District Committee Member Muddukrishna, Asha Sangha Members Sandhya, Manjula, Jayamma, Bisioota Workers Union Member Geethamma and others participated.