12 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers
Most of the casual, contract labour in BSNL has not received their wages for months. BSNL management is taking the plea that there is no funds to pay the wages. This is atrocious. After putting hard work, how can they be denied wages on the above plea. All the officers and employees are paid wages, but the lowest section of workers are denied the same. This can not be accepted.
We demand that the wages of the casual, contract labour be paid with arrears without further delay.
12 Saturday Jan 2019
BSNL Employees Union always was in the forefront of the strikes called by the Central trade unions. There were 18 general strikes including the 48 hours strike on 8-9 January 2019, against the anti-people anti- worker neo-liberal policy of the government since 1991.The dates of the strikes are given below:
The strike was participated by the mainstream of the P and T workers since 1991, the first strike. After formation of BSNL, the workers participated as per the call of BSNL Employees Union. In the first strike, about 2 crore workers participated and in the last strike it was participated by more than 20 crores.
The struggle goes on!
STRUGGLE FOR UNITY,
UNITY FOR STRUGGLE and
UNITY AND STRUGGLE FOR PROGRESS!
12 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in Pension
It is more than one month that the pension revision of BSNL retirees was delinked from the wage revision of BSNL employees. But so far the same has not been done. There is already a system of Pension revision as was done in the 2007 pension revision. Now the pension revision is delinked, the government need not delay but should be done as done last time. The precedent is there.
12 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in Obituary, Tributes
Com. Mohar singh, former member of the Central Committee of CPI(M) and former Secretary of Himachal State Committee passed away on 11th January 2019 at the age of 68.
Mohar Singh began his political life as a student activist in Himachal Pradesh and built the student movement in Himachal Pradesh. He became the Acting Secretary of the State Committee from 1985 to 1991. From 1991 to 2004, he was elected as the Secretary of the State Committee. He was one of the important leaders of the Party in Himachal Pradesh and played a key role in expanding the Party in Himachal Pradesh. He also played an important role in the political education of Party members.
In his death we have a lost a leader who served the people till his death.
Red Salute to Com. Mohar Singh!
08 Tuesday Jan 2019
Posted in CG Employees
CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVT EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
CENTRAL HEAD QUARTERS
1ST FLOOR, NORTH AVENUE POST OFFICE BUILDING, NEW DELHI-110 001.
PRESS STATEMENT
Dated 8th January, 2019
About thirteen (13) lakhs Central Govt. Employees commenced nationwide two days strike today (8th January 2019) as per the call given by Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers. The main demand of the strike is “Scrap New Contributory Pension Scheme (NPS) & Restore Old Pension Scheme (OPS)”. In fact, the share market oriented NPS is nothing but “No Pension Scheme”. The strike is also to express the anger and protest of the Central Government employees and Pensioners against the betrayal of the NDA Government by not honouring the assurances given by Group of Ministers headed by Sri. Rajnath Singh, Home Minister, to leaders of the National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) on 30th June 2016 that the Minimum Pay and Fitment formula will be increased. Even after a lapse of two and a half years, the BJP Government has not implemented the assurance. The indefinite strike from 11th July 2016 was withdrawn believing the assurance.
08 Tuesday Jan 2019
As per reports received so far, the strike in BSNL was almost complete. Many offices were completely closed. Striking workers organised demonstrations and held meetings in many places. The casual contract workers also participated in the strike as per the call of BSNLCCWF. Pensioners under the leadership of AIBDPA gave solidarity and support by organising demonstrations and participating in the meetings.
Congratulations to the comrades on strike!
08 Tuesday Jan 2019
Posted in BSNLEU, CG Employees, TU News
Today, 8th January, 2019 is the first day of the two-day nation-wide general strike call given jointly by 10 Central Trade Unions and independent Federations, against the anti-worker, anti-people and anti-national policies of the BJP-RSS led Central Government.
The reports received from various states show the spontaneous response to the call from the workers in various states and various sectors of economy. Reports from the States of Assom, Manipur, Kerala, Odisha, Meghalaya, Puducherry show that there is complete shut down. Finance Sector, i.e. banking and insurance was closed for business even in Andaman islands. Electricity generation and distribution, coal extraction and movement is affected. Many state governments have declared holidays for schools in view of the strike. The BEST, Mumbai city road transport service provided by the Municipal Corporation, recorded a 100% strike. Very good strike in BSNL. There are reports of arrests of striking workers in Assom and West Bengal, slapping of ESMA and No Work No Pay notices, in various states. It is an attack on democracy, which we strongly condemn.
We congratulate the workers/employees for their exemplary fighting mood and exhort them to carry forward the struggle to 9th January,
2019 also. 10 central Trade Unions Are : INTUC AITUC HMS CITU AIUTUC TUCC SEWA AICCTU LPF UTUC (Courtsey:Ganashakti)
07 Monday Jan 2019
The World Federation of Trade Unions on behalf of its more than 95 million in 130 countries of the 5 continents expresses its internationalist solidarity and support to All India general strike on 8-9 January 2019. The WFTU affiliates are taking a leading role in the preparations of the strike which is called by the joint platform of the 10 central trade unions and dozens of independent federations.
The forthcoming “All India General Strike” will be the third and biggest countrywide strike against the neo-liberal policy of Modi’s governance which is aligned with the World Trade Organization norms and is variously affecting the working class of India worsening its living and working conditions.
During the last years, the Indian working class has been resisting, undertaking struggles at local, sectoral and national level. The two-day general strike is the continuing and escalation of the previous struggles against the policy which creates a country of unemployment and stagnancy of wages in combination with rising prices, relentless attacks against the worker’s rights and unparalleled privatization policy of public sector.
In front of this situation the Trade Unions are rising up, fighting for dignified minimum wages and pension to all, creation of new dignified jobs, curbing of rising prices of essential commodities, universal, social security coverage to all, stoppage of privatization policy, end to the infraction of the labor and trade unions rights, end to contractualisation.
The World Federation of Trade Unions joints its voice with the call of the class-oriented trade unions for militant and massive participation of all the workers of the country regardless their sector or region. The WFTU supports the fair demands of the declared strike, given that the class-oriented struggle for a dignified life and work is the only way out from the capitalist barbarity.
07 Monday Jan 2019
Farmers across the country under the aegis of the Left peasant wings would join the two-day nationwide general strike on January 8 and 9 called by central trade unions against the alleged repressive policies for workers adopted by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.
“AIKS and Bhumi Adhikar Andolan will observe ‘gramin hartal’, rail roko and road roko on January 8 and 9, the day trade unions are observing nationwide general strike. This move is against the Modi government’s failure to address rural distress issues, to save rural farmers’ lands from the corporates. The farmers will extend all support to the ensuing general strike,” said Hannan Mollah, general secretary of the CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha.
Atul Kumar Anjaan of the CPI’s peasant wing said that the action committee of farmers in their meeting decided that when the workers, employees and common people are protesting against the Modi government’s policies, the farmers will also join them.
“The farmers will join road jam, demonstration, protest meetings throughout the country to make the nationwide strike a success and register their disenchantment with PM Narendra Modi and his policies,” said Anjaan.
Anjaan said that the farmers organisations who last year organised a massive march on November 29, 30 in front of Parliament were of the opinion that four-and-a- half years of the Modi government failed to fulfil promises made by the BJP.
Tapan Sen, general secretary of CITU, said that the public sector employees, unorganised sector workers, port and dock workers, bank and insurance employees are going to observe nationwide protest on January 8 and 9 against growing economic crisis, price rise and acute unemployment on the call of central trade unions and mass organisations.
The CITU denounced the unilateral move of the government of India to amend the Trade Union Act 1926 in the name of bringing about “so-called transparency” and avoiding “duplicacy” as noted in the press briefing by the union cabinet.
Sen alleged that the proposed Trade Union (Amendment) Bill 2018 as cleared by the Cabinet is designed to impose conditions of slavery on the working people and totally abrogate trade union rights.
“It is not merely labour reform, it is an all-out degeneration in the life of productive people in the whole economy,” Sen said.
He alleged that under the regime of the Modi government a repressive atmosphere has been created for working class people.
“It is just not distress and destitution, there is an altogether a repressive atmosphere creating in the total uncertainty in the world of works,” Sen alleged.
CITU was critical of the Modi government’s policy of ‘Make in India’ and alleged that the government has been killing the work culture of the country’s public sectors by favouring major contracts of manufacturing works to private players.
“In Rafale deal, there was no transfer of technology. State owned HAL was kept away from the entire deal. This government will do similar practice when it will sign another two mega defence deals for F-16 fighter aircraft with Lockheed Martin Corporation of US and purchase of Naval frigates from Russia,” said Sen.
He was also critical on the Modi government’s move to purchase rail locomotive and coaches from foreign company.
“Our movement is getting stronger every year. This is the 18th nationwide general strike against the government’s anti-worker policies. The main aim of our 12-point charter of demands is to revive the country’s economy, save the rights of working class,” Sen added.
Ten trade unions who have jointly called for the nationwide general strike are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA.
The trade unions have supports of almost all major independent federations of central employees, state employees and the employees of banks, insurance, telecom, and other service sectors representing the workers and employees of all the industries and services including transport services, both in organised and unorganised sectors.(Courtesy: Ganashakti)
07 Monday Jan 2019
The entire trade union movement in the country have jointly given a call for two days countrywide general strike on 8-9 January 2019 against anti-labour, anti-people and anti-national policies of BJP-led NDA Government, from the National Convention of Workers held on 28th September 2018 at New Delhi.
The Ten Central Trade Unions, Independent Federations and Associations of various sectors have been consistently fighting against the policies of BJP-led NDA Government with two successful general strikes, one on 2nd September 2015, and then on 2nd September 2016. After that a three day Mahapadav on 9-10-11 November 2017 at Parliament was held with massive mobilisation of workers, followed by general strike by almost 80 lakhs of Anganwadi-Asha-Mid Day Meal Workers & other scheme workers on 17th January, 2018 for regularization and implementation of unanimous recommendations of 45thIndian Labour Conference to give them “Worker” status and social security, as well as satyagraha protest actions in January and February 2018 all over country were organised jointly by the unions in districts and state capitals. Besides these, in between, big agitations by sectoral unions at national and state level and the agitations by various sectors have been organised throughout this period.
The Central Government failed to respond, refused any dialogue, undermined tripartism, did not hold Indian Labour Conference for the last more than three and half years and instead, continued its aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people. Desperate attempts are being made to make gross pro-employer changes in labour laws, both piecemeal and also hastening the codification of 44 central laws into four, totally ignoring the viewpoints of trade unions. An attempt is being made to usurp funds accumulated in various welfare boards, in the name of providing “universal Social Security”. Unilaterally and through arbitrary notification on fixed term employment through executive order on the one hand and through gradual replacement of workers by apprentices in various establishments on the other, the very concept of regular employment and job security is being sought to be wiped out from the workplaces. Now the cabinet has come out with amendments into the Trade Union Act, 1926 which are irrational, highly discretionary and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions. It is designed with the dubious intention to cripple unions, to promote pocket unions or tout unions.
At the same time, the Govt policy of mass privatization of strategic PSUs, crucial infrastructure and public utilities, specially targeting the ports, airports, telecom, financial sector etc, with defense production and railways thrown open for 100% FDI, is aimed at loot of the national assets and resources on the one hand and destruction of country’s economic base on the other.
In this background the preparations of strike are receiving support from all sections of the society. The unions in Banks, Insurances, and Coal and non-Coal mines, Petroleum, Post, Telecom, Engineering, Manufacturing, Steel, Defense, Health, Education, Water managements & projects, those in Power/Electricity, Road Transport, the Central & State Government employees and Auto-Taxi unions etc and so on have served required notices of strike at their union levels to the appropriate authorities. The unions in the unorganized sector are well in preparations for massive strike action along with rastaroko, rail roko type of agitations through massive mobilizations. Railway unions have expressed their support and would organise solidarity actions.
The unions and associations of agricultural workers, plantation workers, scheme workers, construction, beedi, vendors-hawkers, hamalies/loaders-unloaders, and others are mobilizing for show of strength on streets during two strike-days.
Modi Government, in the last three months, since we declared our decision of two days general strike from the National Convention of workers on 28th September 2018, has increased its pace of attacks on workers instead of dialogue with unions. With every passing day, the Government is coming forward with more of aggressive policies to ruthlessly cripple public sector undertakings and to safeguard the loot by the corporate houses through provisions of IBC Act and various other measures to the detriment to economy.
The farming communities through their associations have also extended support to the strike as the Government has failed to address their issues as well. The organisations of students and teachers of various universities have declared their support.
With the wider support emerging than ever before, the workers and their unions are in upbeat mood to make this 2-day strike historic, in order to defend the country’s economy and also defend their rights and to hit back at the Government which is being caught in the web of biggest scam of Rafale deal.
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