African workers back India’s joint worker-farmer protest

As India prepares for the joint worker-farmer protest on November 26, African workers have expressed their solidarity with their counterparts in India.

In a powerful statement from the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUCAfrica), General Secretary Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie extended unwavering support to the workers and farmers in India as they fight against policies that threaten their livelihoods.

Speaking on behalf of millions of trade union members spanning 52 of Africa’s 54 countries, Joel Odigie addressed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for immediate policy reversals to safeguard the nation’s farmers and workers.

The protest, which coincides with the fourth anniversary of India’s historic Farmers’ March, underscores the collective demand for economic justice in the face of mounting privatisation and corporatisation.

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“Farmers and workers are the pillars and champions of India’s food security and economic development. They deserve dedicated support, not exposure to the market’s whims,” Odigie asserted.

The statement expressed ITUCAfrica’s endorsement of the 12 demands advanced by the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM). These demands, Odigie noted, seek to reverse the erosion of labour rights, restore agricultural protections, and alleviate economic distress exacerbated by rising costs and policy shifts.

Key demands from ITUCAfrica includes: halt regressive labour and agricultural policies. End the privatisation of essential public sectors, including coal, banking, and insurance. Restore dialogue with trade unions by reconvening the Indian Labour Conference. Uphold international labour standards by accepting the ILO Direct Contact Mission and adhering to CAS recommendations.

The statement emphasised the profound global implications of the Indian government’s actions, linking them to broader concerns of equity, justice, and dignity in labour.

Echoing the sentiment of solidarity, Odigie framed the struggle of India’s workers and farmers as emblematic of global fights against economic inequality and social injustice. “Trade unions are vital to sustainable development, and sidelining these stakeholders undermines democratic values,” he noted.

As India’s government embarks on its third term, ITUCAfrica urged Prime Minister Modi to engage meaningfully with labour representatives. The statement warned that continued disregard for workers’ voices risks deepening the socio-economic challenges already plaguing millions.

The Joint Worker-Farmer Protest, buoyed by international support, sends a clear message to policymakers worldwide: workers and farmers are indispensable to national progress. ITUCAfrica’s call for solidarity and action reinforces the urgent need for equitable policies that prioritise the well-being of the people over profits.

India, a nation of 1.4 billion, now stands at a crossroads. As the streets fill with the voices of its workers and farmers, the world watches closely, reminded that the fight for rights, equity, and dignity knows no borders.

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