Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh labor protests in India

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) initiated a series of nationwide protests in India to demand improvements to labor and pension policies. On August 13, the union announced plans for demonstrations across 28 state units and 42 industrial federations, targeting the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and Labour Minister with specific grievances.

Key demands included increasing the minimum pension under the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS-95) to ₹7,500, raising the ceilings for Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) and Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), and restoring the Old Pension Scheme. The union also sought formula-based minimum wages linked to the cost of living and better protections for scheme workers, such as Anganwadi and ASHA staff.

On August 17, the protests were carried out in various locations, including New Delhi and Shimla. In Shimla, demonstrators criticized both central and state governments, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Rs 30,000 and the release of pending arrears. In New Delhi, members gathered at Jantar Mantar to advocate for the unorganized workforce and to voice objections to 28 provisions within the new labor codes.