Now Reading: BMS calls nationwide protests on Aug 17 over pension, wages
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BMS calls nationwide protests on Aug 17 over pension, wages
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will hold nationwide demonstrations on 17 August over long-pending workers' issues, including higher minimum pension, revision of EPF and ESI ceilings, and restoration of the Old Pension…
The Story in Brief
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will hold nationwide demonstrations on 17 August over long-pending workers' issues, including higher minimum pension, revision of EPF and ESI ceilings, and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. The union has asked its 28 state units and 42 industrial federations to organise rallies and dharnas at district headquarters and submit memorandums to the prime minister, finance minister and labour minister.
Among BMS's key demands are raising the minimum pension under EPS-95 to Rs 7,500 a month, linking it with variable dearness allowance and Ayushman Bharat, doubling the ESI wage ceiling from Rs 21,000 to Rs 42,000, and increasing the EPF ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000. The union also opposes provisions of the Industrial Relations Code and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, calling them anti-worker.
The Indian Opinion
The BMS's protest list is long, but the government has not signalled any immediate relief, so the real test is how many workers turn up at district headquarters on Saturday. Unions often exaggerate mobilisation, and the Centre may dismiss this as a routine show of strength. The key number to watch is whether the ESI and EPF ceiling revisions, stuck for years, find mention in any official statement after the demonstrations. If not, the protest will fade as yet another cycle of demands and silences.
Sources (2): livemint.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
