Rallies, meetings mark May Day in Tirupati

Tirupati: Pomp and show marked the International Labour Day celebrations in the pilgrim city on Wednesday.

The Left Parties took out rallies, hoisted red flags and also held meetings in several localities in the city to mark the occasion while many trade unions also observed Labour Day also called as May Day here.

The CITU held a massive rally from TTD Administrative Building which culminated in a meeting in the trade union district office here.

Speaking on the occasion, CITU general secretary Kandarapu Murali said that irrespective of party affiliation, the successive governments denying even the rights the labours got after a long struggle, bowing to the corporate pressure. He bluntly told the workers that they should not expect any drastic changes in the anti-labour policy even if there is a change of government both in the State and at the Centre after the election while stressing on the work force to be prepared in the coming days for a bigger sacrifices to safeguard their rights. "The May Day should inspire us all for a spirited struggle to check the governments bowing to capitalists and corporate snatching our rights," he said while stressing on the need to build up a strong trade union movement to safeguard the work force rights and conditions.

May Day was observed by AITUC in which CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna addressed a meeting after hoisting a red flag. He along with CPI leaders including P Haranadha Reddy and Rama Naidu said that the workers and labourers' condition turned from bad to worst with no improvement of wages coupled with deteriorating working conditions. They only way out is uniting the employee and workers to build a strong movement for better wages and working condition, they said.

AITUC district general secretaries said even the government departments did not stop exploitation by not providing the minimum wage to its contract and outsourcing employees and same is the case with the APSRTC. He said the AITUC observed May Day in as many as 45 centres in the pilgrim city.

Rallies under the banner of various trade unions CITU and AITUC were also taken out in various places in the city while Sri Venkateswara Auto Welfare Association honorary president DR Sudharani distributed butter milk to mark the occasion. Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) also conducted May Day celebrations in which Vice-Chancellor Dr Y Haribabu and others participated.