Udupi The city's diocese and labour's commission observed Labour’s Day in collaboration with district labour department at Bishop’s auditorium, Mother of Sorrows Church, here on Sunday May 1.

After the inauguration, MLC Ivan D’Souza said, "There is need to create awareness among workers about their rights. Labours’ day came to practice after the Chicago convention. Each individual is a worker in different ways. There is a huge gap between owners and workers. Every worker works to earn his daily bread. Most of the labour rules are not in favour of the labourers or working class. Nearly 93% of unorganized labourers have been working in India; the remaining 7% are organized workers enjoying government benefits, which are announced in the budget. The unorganized workers do not have a secure job."

Condemning the central government norms, he said, nowadays the government is showing more interest towards the market, while giving least priority in the fulfillment of workers’ demands. The money of the poor should not be utilized for the development of trade or market, instead it should be utilized for their welfare.

The programme began with the invocation by Fr Herald Periera. Vicar general Msgr Baptist Menezes delivered the keynote.

Bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Veronica Cornelio, chairman, Karnataka State Soap and Detergent Commission, S S Ramamurthy, district labour superintendent, labour department Udupi were the chief guests of the programme.

Fr Clement Mascarenhas, Magdalin Mathias, Valerian Fernandes, Joseph Fernandes, William Machado and others were present.