Gujarat: Unions for more work days under MNREGA

The top demand by trade unions for inclusion in the election manifesto is an increase in the number of days of MNREGA work and the need to extend it to urban areas too.

Mahesh Gajera, of the Ajivika Bureau, said that to ensure ease of doing business, the government was bringing in several changes to labour laws. "But these changes are taking away the security from the labourers and leaving them at the mercy of their employers," said Gajera.

He said the unions would meet various parties to press for their demands. They have also asked to ensure that each state keep a record of migrant labourers that come to the state, as no state seems to have migration data currently. The unions have also demanded separate welfare board for different workers like agricultural, home-based etc and universalisation of ESI and PF schemes to cover all workers.