Bhubaneswar: The Joint Trade Union Forum will hold a May Day rally and public meeting in the City Friday to highlight labour issues and workers’ rights. A procession will start at 5 pm from Rajmahal Square to Master Canteen Square, followed by a public meeting at 6 pm.
Organisers said the event will mark the significance of International Labour Day and press key demands, including withdrawal of new labour codes, an eight-hour workday, a minimum monthly wage of Rs 26,000, and stronger social security for workers. The Forum has urged media, workers, and the public to participate in large numbers.
CITU State Secretary Pradipta Nayak called for collective mobilisation to protect workers’ rights. Labour activist Saroj Kumar Barik said May Day remains a global platform for workers to raise concerns and demand reforms. Labour activist Saroj Kumar Barik said May Day remains a global platform for workers to raise concerns and demand reforms.
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He stressed the need to balance technological progress with human welfare, calling for stronger skill development, inclusive policies, and effective enforcement of labour laws. Barik also raised concerns over unsafe labour migration from Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Bihar to industrial hubs such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, citing reports of exploitation, abuse, and human rights violations.
Referring to recent reforms, he noted that India’s labour codes, introduced in 2025, consolidated 29 laws into four codes on wages, industrial relations, social security, and occupational safety. While aimed at simplifying regulations and boosting growth, they have also raised concerns over job security and workers’ rights.
