The General Strike on 29th November 1991.

GENERAL STRIKES AGAINST NEO-LIBERAL POLICIES  -1

The General Strike on 29th November 1991.

The first general strike against liberalisation, globalisation and privatisation policy of the central govt was organised on 29th November 1991. It was the All India Trade Union Convention held on 17th September 1991 which took the historic decision.

capitalism which got upperhand after the collapse of USSR was making all out attacks on the working class and progressive forces. India govt was not different. IMF was putting its pressure on India. Amendment on Sick Industrial Companies Act 1985 was moved in Parliament which was to help the corporates to order lock out against the interests of workers. Selling shares of PSUs were proposed with FDI up to 51%. There was move to privatise defence production, telecom operations etc. Govt was taking anti- worker steps for availing IMF loan.

It was against these anti-worker, anti-people proposals and policies that CITU and certain other trade unions called for one day strike on 29th November 1991.

The central govt employees under the leadership of the Confederation of CG Employees & Workers actively campaigned for the strike. An All India Convention was organised on 10th November 1991, which decided to extend full solidarity to the Industrial strike.

The strike in central govt establishments was full in Kerala, W.Bengal, Assam, NE regions etc. Massive dharnas and rallies were held in other places. As per call of the new leadership of All India Telecom Employees Union Class III headed by V.A.N.Namboodiri & Moni Bose as President and General Secretary, telecom workers all over India participated in large numbers.

The strike was massive in all sectors, despite of the fact that some of the Central TUs, including INTUC, had not given the strike call. The importance of the strike was that it heralded the many strikes against anti- worker neoliberal policies. It was a starting point.

CGHS WEBINAR

CGHS, known for providing comprehensive health care services to its beneficiaries, is conducting a series of short webinars of 60–90-minute duration with active participation of its beneficiaries to provide information on common health related issues. These webinars are being scheduled at 4.00 pm on 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. A 30-40 minutes presentation by a CGHS Doctor will be followed by 30 minutes of answering of relevant questions from the beneficiaries.

It is expected that these webinars will provide useful information to CGHS beneficiaries and create awareness on various health conditions, provide guidance on promotive care, lifestyle modification and also dispel many health-related myths and doubts.

The twenty-ninth in the series is being held on 11/01/2022 (Tuesday) at 4.00PM on “How to address the issues/concerns of a teenage child” for CGHS beneficiaries by Dr. Radhika Jindal, Associate Professor Endocrinology, SJ Hospital, New Delhi.

The link for attending the webinar is as follows:

 https://cghshq.webex.com/meet/adhq.dl

A meeting of the NCCPA Secretariat was held online on 09-01-2022 under the presidentship of Com.Shiv Gopal Mishra, President. Com. K K N Kutty, Secretary General welcomed and briefed on the two agenda items. All the 17 participants aired their views on both the issues of Solidarity action to the two days national strike and action against the frozen DR of 18 months. Finally it was decided to hold massive dharnas at district levels on 22-02-2022 in solidarity to the national strike. National level webinar will be held by NCCPA on two subjects; (1) National issues and (2) Pensioners issues. Affiliated associations may also hold such webinars on their own issues. District level webinar be organised on 23-02-2022, the first day of the strike. The resolution adopted in support of the national strike will be sent to the Prime Minister. A Press Communique also will be released in this regard. It was also decided to seek legal remedy to get back the frozen Dearness Relief of 18 months. A detailed circular will be issued by the Secretary General in due course. Representing AIBDPA, Coms. V A N Namboodiri (Patron) K G Jayaraj (Deputy Secretary General) S Mohandoss( Asst. Secretary General) and S S Maurya (Organising Secretary) attended and participated in the discussion.

The Co-Ordination Committee (CoC) of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF held it’s meeting online on 06.01.2022 and has decided to organise black badge wearing demonstrations massively on 25.01.2022, demanding immediate settlement of the following issues. It is also decided that, memorandums would be submitted to the GMs and CGMs on that day.

(1)   The BSNL Management is deliberately delaying payment of the frozen IDA arrears to the Non-Executives. The CMD BSNL is taking revenge and not paying the IDA arrears, since BSNLEU had dragged him to the Hon’ble Kerala High Court, against the freezing of the IDA.

(2)   Blatant discrimination is being meted out to the retired employees, by the BSNL Management, in the matter of payment of medical bills. The CMD BSNL is intentionally delaying the payment of medical bills to the retired employees, with the view to force them to leave the BSNL MRS and migrate to the CGHS. Payment of Medical Allowance to the retired employees had also been stopped.

(3)   The BSNL Management is adopting a lackadaisical attitude in the matter of holding the LICEs of the Non-Executives. By delaying the holding of the LICEs, the Management is jeopardising the promotional prospects and the future of the young BSNL employees.

(4)   Management is not paying the wage arrears of the contract workers. In many places, wages are not paid to the contract workers even up to 18 months. This is also nothing but the vindictive action of the CMD BSNL.

The CHQ of BSNLEU calls on the circle and district unions to coordinate with AIBDPA and BSNL CCWF and to organise the programme successfully.

[Date : 08 – Jan – 2022]

Congratulations to BSNLEU for taking decision to observe the 40th anniversary of the historic strike of 19th January 1982 sponsored by the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions on the major demands of the workers.

CHQ has been continuously pursuing the issue of non-payment of medical benefits to the BSNL pensioners as one of the most burning issues. We have discussed the issue several times with the CMD, BSNL and took up with higher authorities like Secretary, DOT, Secretary, DOP&PW, Hon’ble Minister of Communications, Hon’ble Prime Minister and recently the most hon’ble President of India. We have conducted many agitations on our own, then with NCCPA, Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers and Coordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA & BSNL CCWF. BSNLEU also took up the issue seriously with the BSNL management.

Now, the BSNL management has reluctantly allotted a meagre amount for payment of medical benefits to the BSNL pensioners. This fund allocation is not even sufficient to clear the reimbursement of medical bills of the pensioners upto 30-09-2019. Worse, in many circles, according to reports received so far, the optees of without voucher, medical allowance, are completely ignored. This has caused much discontentment and dissatisfaction among the BSNL pensioners. This is nothing but adding fuel to the fire. It has also come to our notice that in certain circles the names of the optees of without voucher (medical Allowance) are not entered in ERP resulting in non-payment. It is another form of discrimination and has to be resisted and defeated. Circle Secretaries are requested to collect the exact position and send the report to CHQ so that the issue could be further taken up with the appropriate authorities.

This is atrocious!

Com.R.N.Parashar, respected leader of the CG & Postal employees, Secretary General of Confederation and NFPE has been issued with chargesheet under Rule-14 of CCS(CCA) Rules on 31-12-2021, on which day he has retired from service on superannuation. The charge is that he has availed ‘ foreign service’ for more than the eligible period of seven years. The limit of 7 years period is applicable for officials, who are deputed on foreign service to other departments etc. It is not applicable to the union leaders who are deputed on foreign service to unions for full time work as requested by unions. The entire pay & allowances and even pension contribution of the official are paid by the union. No expenditure for govt. This ‘ foreign service’ facility was granted to union leaders in order to avoid outsiders becoming leaders of the service unions and to enable union leaders to work full time for union. Com.R.N.Parashar as top leader of two mighty organisations as also the Staff Side Member of National Council, Joint Consultative Machinery, availed foreign service after the same was sanctioned as per rules by Department of Posts. It was nothing new, as earlier incumbents have also availed the same.

This atrocious order has been issued by Dept. in order to harass the senior leader and to deny or delay his pension and other retirement benefits. It is also a threat to other union leaders. The fact that this is issued just before the declared General Strike of 23-24 February strike is also significant.

If Modi govt is thinking that by victimising leaders, the unions can be weakened and workers threatened, it is mistaken. The P&T Trade Union movement has faced inhuman victimisations since British days, but never surrendered. Instead fought back continuously till they are vacated. This time also, it will not be different. Already NFPE has called upon its units organise strong protests through out the country against this unwarranted attack.

Demand the Govt and Department of Posts to cancel the wholly unjustified and atrocious chargesheet issued against Com.R.N.Parashar SG NFPE immediately.

V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron, National Coordination Committee of Pensioners’ Association.
[9:14 pm, 01/01/2022]