Budget 2018: Trade unions urge govt to focus on employment generation

-PTI

The leaders claimed thousands of people had lost their jobs because of demonetisation

Trade Unions want the government to allocate more funds in the Union Budget for employment generation and claimed that opening up the retail market to foreign players would lead to further loss of jobs.

Though Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said suggestions made by TU leaders during a pre-budget consultation meet last month would be considered, the leaders felt the government's economic exercise was only meant to benefit corporate house.

The leaders of two major central unions claimed thousands of people had lost their jobs because the government's demonetisation decision had adversely affected small and medium industries, forcing them to either shut down or sack workers.

"We want the government to spend the maximum in job creation. We think after such a big loss of jobs in India because of demonetisation, the government should bring back jobs lost and generate more jobs," All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Amarjit Kaur told PTI.

AITUC and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) also attacked the government's recent decision to open up the retail market to foreign players.

"This will only uproot the existing jobs available in the sector," CITU general secretary Tapan Sen told PTI.

The TU leaders said though the government always claimed foreign investment would lead to the creation of jobs, there was no guarantee it would. Foreign investors would like to keep labour costs to a minimum, they held.

"So we think the attempt of the government even before the budget is to further attack those sectors which generate jobs. The decision for 100 per cent FDI in retail will again affect the job market," Kaur said.

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