SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Joint Council of Trade Unions and Associations on Thursday joined the nationwide general strike, strongly opposing what it described as “anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national pro-corporate policies” of the Central Government.
Addressing the media, General Secretary Edward Lynshing said the strike was organised under a joint platform of ten Central Trade Unions. The primary focus of the protest was the codification of 29 existing labour laws into four Labour Codes, which, he claimed, have severely impacted the rights and welfare of the working class.
Lynshing stated that the Council was deeply concerned about the long-term implications of the new labour codes and had extended its full solidarity to the central trade unions leading the movement. He added that while several affiliated organisations participated in the strike, some unions opted for sector-wise protests within their respective workplaces.
The Council placed several key demands before the government, including the immediate repeal of the four Labour Codes and their associated rules. It also called for the withdrawal of the Draft Seed Bill and the Electricity Amendment Bill.
Among its major concerns, the union urged the government to scrap the proposed Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, alleging that it would allow private and foreign companies into the nuclear power sector. The union warned that such a move could compromise public safety and prioritise profit over national interest.
Further, the Council demanded the restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the withdrawal of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. It also opposed the decision to allow 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in insurance companies.
Additional demands included the withdrawal of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bills, 2025, filling of vacant posts in public sector undertakings, and regularisation of anganwadi, ASHA, and mid-day meal (MDM) workers by granting them government employee status.
The union also called for doctors and nurses working under the National Health Mission (NHM) to be made permanent employees, stressing the need for job security and improved working conditions in the public health sector.
