A ‘bread and roses’ campaign was launched in Shillong asking political parties to consider their demands, like equal pay for equal work for daily wage earners and casual employees working in government and private sectors.
The campaign ‘We must have bread and roses too’ was launched by Thma u Rangli Juki (TUR) and 10 other unions on February 14.
Speaking to media, at the press club, member of TUR, Angela Rangad said a working people’s charter would be submitted to all political parties. The charter highlights various demands for which they are seeking commitments from those going into the 2018 electoral battle.
The charter was presented along with an empty rice plate and a rose to various political parties, both national and regional, to impress upon them the need to address labour issues in the state.
They asked to address these issues by strengthening and implementing already existing legal rights and framing new policies and legislations for the protection and upliftment of working people.
The organizations also gave a deadline to political parties to endorse the charter and sought a public acknowledgement by February 20
Speaking about the campaign, Rangad said the campaign dated back to 1912 in Massachusetts, United States of America that gave the slogan of “Give us bread and roses too.”
She said that labourers should get their deserved wages and improved working conditions.