Zirakpur (Punjab), March 17 (IANS) Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) chief M.K. Pandhe Wednesday slammed the central government for its 'wrong policies' which he says are against the working class.

'Labour laws are collapsing in our country. It is because our government is determined to follow wrong policies that are highly anti-working class,' Pandhe told reporters on the sidelines of a conference here Wednesday.

Pandhe is in this Punjab town to attend the 13th All India Conference of CITU March 17-21. Zirakpur is 10 km from state capital Chandigarh. CITU is affilitated to the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

'Privatization, unemployment and inflation have gripped our society and their adverse affects are looming over our heads.'

Over 2,500 delegates from across the country and foreign delegates from 15 other countries like France, Brazil, Finland, Australia, Russia and the US have arrived to attend this conference.

Talking about the conference, Pandhe said,'We are meeting at a time when there are big challenges before the working class movement. We have a stupendous task ahead to build strong unity so that we can reverse the policies of the government.'

'So far, we have been able to unify our movement at the top level.....now we are shifting our focus at lower level,' he pointed out.

Taking a dig at the aftermath of financial meltdown, Pandhe said, 'The capitalism attempted to put the burden of the crisis on the shoulders of the working class and the poor. ILO (International Labour Organisation) estimates that as a result of global crisis the unemployment level is likely to reach 20 crore in the world.'

'The bailout package was given to MNCs and financial tycoons but no relief was given to workers who lost their jobs.'