31st Conference of Citu-affiliated Himachal Hotel Workers Lal Jhanda Union Held at Kalibari Hall, Shimla

The 31st conference of the Himachal Hotel Workers Lal Jhanda Union, affiliated with CITU, was successfully held at Kalibari Hall in Shimla. During the conference, a 33-member committee was elected, with Pratap Chauhan as President, Kapil Negi as General Secretary, Chet Ram as Treasurer, Vikram Sharma, Ratti Ram, and Vikas as Vice Presidents, Subhash, Shyam Deepta, and Indra Singh as Secretaries, along with committee members Purn Chand, Vinod Birsanta, Ramlal, Shishupal, Dharmpal, Mukesh, Mahendra, Manohar Sharma, Rajendra, Prakash, Pawan, Santram, Shankar Lal, Virendra, Neelkanth, Ishwar, Ashwani, Bhim Prakash, and Bhim Singh.

It was decided in the conference that, in protest against the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-employee, and anti-people policies of the Modi-led central government and the state government, hotel workers in Shimla city will go on strike on May 20 as part of the nationwide strike, halting all work.

The conference was attended by CITU state president Vijendra Mehra, vice president Jagat Ram, district president Kuldeep Dogra, Balak Ram, Ramakant Mishra, Himi Devi, Vivek Kashyap, Ranjeev Kuthiyala, and others. Addressing the gathering, Vijendra Mehra, Jagat Ram, Kuldeep Dogra, and Balak Ram stated that workers are demanding:

• Declaration of a minimum wage of ₹26,000,
• Repeal of the four anti-worker labor codes,
• Scrapping of the National Monetization Pipeline, Agniveer, Ayudhveer, Koyalaveer, and other fixed-term employment schemes,
• Ensuring universal social security for unorganized workers,
• Job security and equal pay for contract workers as regular employees,
• Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for central and state board/corporation employees,
• Implementation of a minimum pension of ₹9,000,
• 200 workdays under MGNREGA with wages of ₹600 per day,
• MSP for farmers and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations,
• Reinstatement of hundreds of Covid workers terminated across the state,
• Curbing inflation, stopping privatization of public sector units, and farm loan waivers.

They criticized the Modi government’s neoliberal and pro-corporate policies, which have led to rising unemployment, poverty, inequality, and livelihood crises. The weakening of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and skyrocketing prices of petrol, diesel, LPG, and essential commodities have crushed the common people.

The union vowed to expose the Modi government’s anti-worker policies, including:

• Privatization of PSUs,
• Agniveer scheme and monetization of national assets,
• Cuts in ration supplies at depots,
• Exploitation of Anganwadi, Mid-Day Meal, and ASHA workers,
• Privatization of electricity boards, municipal corporations, and BRO,
• Anti-worker amendments in the Street Vendors Act and Motor Vehicles Act.

They called upon the public to vote against BJP and Modi in the upcoming elections, citing their anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-people policies. The union will mobilize workers and the public to join the nationwide strike on May 20.