RSS-backed trade union to launch nationwide protest against Centre over workers’ issues on February 25

RSS-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has decided to launch protests against the labour policies of the Union and State governments in every district across the country on Wednesday (February 25, 2026). The BMS has demanded that the Centre urgently convene Indian Labour Conference — involving the government, employers, and workers — to discuss workers’ issues and the implementation of the four Labour Codes.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi on Monday (February 23, 2026), BMS leaders Pawan Kumar and Ravindra Himte said the Union government had assured the BMS that it would make amendments to the Code on Industrial Relations and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions in the second lap of the Budget Session beginning on March 9. “We have conveyed our apprehensions about certain provisions in both the Codes. The government has assured that our concerns will be addressed,” Mr. Kumar said.

Mr. Kumar said the protest is against the neglect of workers’ issues by the government. “Take the case of Heavy Engineering Corporation in Ranchi. There are about 3,500 workers in the HEC and they have not received salary for the last 32 months. The Prime Minister says our indigenous Brahmos missile will be exported to various countries. But what about the workers in HEC who make components of Brahmos,” he asked.

Mr. Kumar also raised the case of mid-day meal workers, saying that the workers who make nutritious meals for students are malnourished due to the low wages they get. “Lakhs of mid-day meal workers and ASHA workers continue to receive a meagre honorarium. Even after five decades of service, Anganwadi workers are still treated merely as scheme workers, despite being compelled to work for more than 10 hours a day, with an ever-increasing workload. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been reluctant to enhance the honorarium, while continuously assigning additional responsibilities,” the BMS leader added.

On cotton industry, Mr. Kumar said the country has plenty of input materials available but the government is not opening the mills of the National Textile Corporation in eight States. “Now, the government has allowed import of cotton with zero duties, but why is there a delay in opening these mills? Workers in these mills have been receiving only 50% wages since the pandemic, with salaries pending for the last 10 months,” Mr. Kumar said.

The BMS also demanded that the Centre withdraw the draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill. “The electricity employees throughout the country are fighting relentlessly to keep distribution companies only in the government sector and not hand them over to private players,” he said.

The BMS’s other demands include strict and universal implementation of labour laws across all sectors and categories of workers, increase in minimum pension under the Provident Fund pension from ₹1,000 to ₹7,500 a month, enhancement of threshold limits for coverage under Employees State Insurance and PF to ₹42,000 and ₹30,000 respectively, increase in the eligibility ceiling for bonus under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, in line with the present wage levels, regularisation of scheme workers and contract workers and lifting of the ban on general recruitment, and guaranteed employment with job security.