DHANBAD, Nov. 28 -- A joint front of all major labour unions operating in Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) on Thursday announced a coordinated protest campaign against the Centre's labour codes, calling them "a direct assault on workers' rights and job security." The announcement came after a mass meeting held at the Bihar Colliery Kamgar Union premises in Jagjivan Nagar, chaired by AK Jha, general secretary of Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Union (INTUC). Speaking at the gathering, Jha said the new labour codes-implemented after "decades of workers' struggle for 29 labour laws"-had triggered widespread concern in both organised and unorganised sectors. "Nearly 80% of India survives on labour. By empowering industries to keep workers on fixed-term jobs and terminate them in two, three or five years, the government has created unprecedented insecurity," he said. He added that provisions allowing layoffs in units employing up to 300 workers, extending work hours from eight to 12, and permitting contract-based engagement even in jobs of permanent nature "would push crores of workers into exploitation." Jha alleged that the new framework "abolishes legal protection, weakens unions, restricts the right to strike, and places social security benefits such as bonus, gratuity, PF and CMPF at risk." He further claimed that the changes favour "corporate interests over welfare-state principles," arguing that "the democratic and constitutional rights of workers are being systematically dismantled." Other speakers, including Manas Chatterjee, S.S. De, Anandamayi Pal, Hariprasad Pappu, Chhotu Singh, Bihar Lal Chauhan, Nandu Yadav, R.K. Tiwari and several others also addressed the gathering, asserting that labour organisations would "fight the codes with full unity and conviction." The joint front resolved that from Friday, workers-both permanent and contractual-will hold peaceful demonstrations at duty-entry points across all BCCL areas until December 10. Unions also decided to organise joint seminars and workshops at area and unit levels to mobilise workers, with two major sessions scheduled in the first week of December in Katras and Sijua areas....