The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has announced nationwide demonstrations scheduled for August 17, 2026, to pressure the government on long-pending workers' issues. According to reports from PTI, the trade union's Central Executive Council, which met in Ranchi in July end, has directed all of the unions' 28 state units and 42 industrial federations to organize demonstrations, rallies and dharnas at district headquarters. The latest reports indicate that BMS will hold a large dharna and demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 17, where workers from various sectors, federations and unions affiliated with BMS are expected to participate in significant numbers to present their collective concerns and demands. The associates have also been asked to submit memorandums to the prime minister, finance minister and labour minister through district authorities.
Among the union's main demands are significant increases across multiple financial benefits for workers. As reported by PTI and confirmed by National Vice President Pawan Kumar to ANI, the BMS is seeking to increase the minimum pension to ₹7,500 under the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS-95) and link it with variable DA and Ayushman Bharat Yojana. The union also demands raising the Employees' State Insurance ceiling from ₹21,000 to ₹42,000 and increasing the EPF ceiling from ₹15,000 to ₹30,000. Additionally, Kumar outlined that the union demands implement bonus on full wages in accordance with the new labour codes and increase the bonus calculation ceiling beyond ₹7,000. The BMS is also calling for gratuity to be increased from 15 days' wages to 30 days' wages without any ceiling and adoption of a scientific and inflation-linked minimum wage formula. Latest reports from Mint confirm that the union is seeking early implementation of the long-pending demand for a five-day working week for bank employees and immediate resumption of the Indian Labour Conference which has not met since 2015.
The BMS has outlined a comprehensive list of demands addressing various worker welfare issues. According to the union's statement reported by PTI and confirmed by Kumar to ANI, these include raising gratuity calculation from 15 days' wages to 30 days' wages without any ceiling, formula-based minimum wages linked to increasing cost of living, and a higher monthly honorarium for scheme workers. The union is also demanding equal pay for equal work for all categories of contractual and outsourced employees and strict punishment for contractors and manpower supply agencies involved in wage theft. Kumar specifically demanded higher honoraria for Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-Day Meal, NHM and other scheme workers and called for immediate convening of the Indian Labour Conference and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. The organization is also seeking prompt filling of vacancies in government services and public establishments and implementation of pending wage agreements.
The RSS-affiliated union has raised significant concerns about the treatment of scheme workers, stating that governments at the Centre and state continue to take services from them without recognizing them as workers. As reported by PTI and confirmed by Kumar to ANI, the BMS criticized that the duration of social welfare schemes is limited to 10 to 12 years only, questioning how schemes like the Anganwadi Scheme, which started in October 1975, can be called schemes that have completed half a century. The union seeks discussions with central trade unions on the future of scheme workers, noting their workforce exceeds more than one crore workers. The latest Mint reports confirm that salaries of workers engaged under various Central Government-sponsored schemes, including Anganwadi workers through ICDS, mid-day meal workers and NHM employees, had not been enhanced for years. The organization has urged both Central and State Governments to reconsider the classification of "scheme workers" and called for government discussions with Central Trade Unions on the formulation of a new national policy reflecting India's realities and evolving labour conditions.
The BMS has raised serious concerns about alleged exploitation in the private sector, claiming that PF and ESI contributions were deducted from workers' salaries but inspections to check irregularities had been stopped. According to Excelsior reports, BMS leaders alleged that objections raised by the organization against the implementation of labour codes had not been considered and that minimum wages had not been enhanced in accordance with the new codes. The union is demanding creation of a Manpower Resources Corporation in J&K on the pattern of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to regulate outsourced employees and curb alleged exploitation by manpower agencies and contractors. Latest reports from Mint confirm that the BMS opposes the Industrial Relations (IR) Code and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code, for alleged "many anti-worker provisions". The press conference was addressed by Neelam Kumari (State general secretary), Ashok Choudhary (deputy organizing secretary, BMS North zone), Harbans Choudhary (senior leader BMS), Ravi Hans (State secretary BMS) and Rinku Gill (president, Municipal Workers Union).
