Sat May 17 16:39:36 UTC 2025: **Here’s a summary of the text:**
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held its first-ever meeting of trade union leaders in Beijing on May 15-16, 2025. The meeting aimed to address workers’ rights, the impact of AI, and the challenges faced by gig workers. While most Indian trade unions, including AITUC and CITU, attended and participated, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), a trade union backed by the Sangh Parivar, boycotted the event. The BMS cited China’s support for Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor” as the reason for their boycott. Other union leaders criticized the BMS’s decision, arguing that it prioritized political interests over worker’s issues. The SCO emphasized the importance of trade unions in protecting workers’ rights and promoting social justice.
**Here’s a news article based on the text:**
**Indian Trade Union Boycotts SCO Meeting Over China-Pakistan Stance**
**New Delhi – May 17, 2025** – The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), a trade union affiliated with the Sangh Parivar, boycotted the inaugural meeting of trade union leaders from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries held in Beijing this week. The move comes as a protest against China’s perceived support for Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor.”
The SCO meeting, organized by the All China Federation of Trade Unions, aimed to address critical labor issues including workers’ rights, the impact of Artificial Intelligence on employment, and the challenges faced by gig economy workers.
While other prominent Indian trade unions, such as the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), participated in the discussions, the BMS’s absence drew criticism from some quarters. AITUC leader Vidya Sagar Giri, who attended the meeting, stated that he addressed the issue of terrorism in his speech and this position was welcomed by other trade unions. The SCO said the meeting had discussions on ‘Deepening Humanitarian Exchanges to Enhance Mutual Understanding Among the Peoples of SCO Countries,’ ‘Uniting Trade Union Efforts to Fulfil the SCO Mission,’ and ‘Addressing Contemporary Challenges and Jointly Developing Measures to Protect Workers’ Rights.’
“By boycotting such a meeting, BMS proved that it does not stand for workers’ issues, but is playing the politics of Sangh Parivar,” Giri said.
BMS national secretary Pawan Kumar defended the boycott, stating that China’s support for Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor” prompted their decision.
CITU leader R. Karumalaiyan emphasized that the SCO meeting was focused on workers’ issues and not geopolitical disputes. He added that his organization had raised concerns regarding the situation of Indian workers during the event.
The SCO, in a statement, highlighted the importance of the meeting in addressing critical labor issues within the region and underscored the role of trade unions in safeguarding workers’ rights and promoting social justice. Deputy Secretary-General of the SCO Batyr Tursunov noted that this meeting was a practical step to improving the well-being of workers.
First Piper 