The speakers expressed their anguish about the fact that in the ongoing movement against corruption there is no mention of the corruption which victimizes crores of workers every day. Without targeting the tactics of the industrialists to deprive millions of workers of their rights by openly flouting the labour laws, the movement against corruption cannot be meaningful.

While discussing the changes which have been brought about in the forms of the industries and the exploitation machinery and the disintegration of labour movement, the speakers said that in the ‘Workers’ Charter Movement’ the workers are being united under a combined banner.

Tapish from Textiles Workers’ Union, Gorakhpur; Rajvinder and Lakhvinder from the Karkhana Mazdoor Union, Ludhiana; Abhinav from Bigul Mazdoor Dasta, Delhi; Ashish from Karawal Nagar Mazdoor Union, Delhi; Ganesh Ram Chaoudhary, President, Chhattishgarh Mines Workers Union; Shekh Ansar, Vice President, Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha; Kavita from Stree Mazdoor Sangathan, Delhi; Pramod Kumar from Bigul Mazdoor Dasta; Gorakhpur; Roopesh, labor organizer from north-west Delhi and a number of workers from different regions put forward their view point. The meeting was compered by Satyam of workers paper Mazdoor Bigul. Folk singer Faguram Yadav from Chattisgarsh elevated the spirit of the demonstrators through his spirited songs.

Around 8 thousand labourers coming from the distant corners of the country consisted largely of unorganized workers of small and large factories. Women workers also came in large numbers from Delhi and outside.  Processions of workers coming from outside started pouring in Jantar Mantar from railway stations and bus stands right from the morning, holding red flags and placards and even after the meeting ended workers were discussing forthcoming program in small gatherings on the Jantar Mantar road till late in the evening and the process of the workers leaving the meeting place continued till 9 pm.

May Day demonstration – 2011 (Workers Charter Movement)