Author Archives: VAN NAMBOODIRI

Dangerous moves of Donald Trump

18 Sunday Jun 2017

Posted by in WORLD NEWS

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Donald Trump after his election as the President of United States, is creating conflicts after conflicts which are danger to the peaceful relations between nations. The attack on Syria, the new immigration policy, withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on emission of greenhouse gases – the list is continuing.

The latest is the cancellation of agreement with Cuba, which was signed during the period of President Barack Obama resulting in better relations between US and Cuba, ending the economic blockade of about 6 decades.

As the most powerful country in the country, it is the responsibility of US and its President not to create hurdles in maintaining world peace. But what Trump is doing is on the contrary. The United Nations and the world opinion should put a stop to these acts of Trump, in the interest of world peace.

 

United Action a Must to Defend and Save BSNL

17 Saturday Jun 2017

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BSNL. the telecom PSU, fully owned by the government of India, is in one of the worst crisis, it had to face till now. Though NITI Ayog has denied that it has recommended strategic sale / closure of BSNL, the fact remains that something is moving in the corridors of power against the survival of BSNL.

All the earlier attacks like disinvestment, unbundling, VRS etc. could be defeated with the united strength of the organisations of the executives and non-executives with the full support of the workers and executives. Another such attack is in the offing now. In addition, in the name of loss, the government is trying to deny wage revision to the workers.

This is the moment to unite all the forces available at our command and to defeat the conspiracies and attacks against BSNL and ensure wage revision. Nobody can keep aloof from this historic task.

In the past we had done it. In future also we will fight unitedly to sava BSNL and its workforce.

 

‘Com. S.R.Nayak Memorial Hall’ in KG Bose Bhawan, New Delhi

17 Saturday Jun 2017

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The decision of the Central Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU held at  Thiruvananthapuram to name the hall in K.G.Bose Bhawan, New Delhi as ‘Com.S.R.Nayak Memorial Hall’ is appropriate and appreciable. It is not only to respect the feeling of the M.P.Circle who gave Rs. 15 lakh donation, but also is a tribute to the great leader, who spent his entire life for the organisation and defending the rights of the telecom workers.

Since the latter half of the 1970s, I had close contact with Com. S.R.Nayak, the rebel leader of the M.P.Telecom circle. In the various all India Conferences of the AITEE Union Class III ( E.III Union in short), we were part of the same group fighting for correct policy and democratic functioning in the union, under the leadership of Com.K.G.Bose and later Com. Moni Bose. He had to face severe harassment and punishments both  from the circle union as well as the Department for his union activities.

In the historic Bhopal All India Conference of E.III Union in 1991, he was elected as the Asst General Secretary. He was elected as the Circle Secretary of E.III Union and later as Circle Secretary of the BSNLEU M.P.Circle, in which post he continued for years.

In all the struggles he was in the forefront. He was a fighter and continued as such. He organised and brought many  active workers and leaders for the organisation. I have close connection with him for more than four decades. We have toured the undivided M.P.Circle more than once in connection with the membership Verification in the early period.

He left us forever on 8th August 2013 at a Delhi Hospital, where he was under treatment for some weeks.

It is a real tribute to Com. SR Nayak to name the Hall in the K.G.Bose Bhawan as ‘Com.S.R.Nayak Memorial Hall’.

 

Wage Revision is a Right – Nobody can stop it!

16 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by in BSNLEU

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More than two lakh BSNL Employees have got the right to get wage revision w.e.f. 01-01-2017. It can not be denied on the basis of no-profit or loss. BSNL is a fully government owned company and its activities are based on the government decisions. It is implementing the social objectives of Connecting India, providing connections in lakhs of villages, where no private companies will dare to come since the connections are provided causing huge losses.

Further due to the efforts of the workforce and the management, the losses has gone down. For the last two years, there is operational profit. Loss accounted due to depreciation of the large assets of the company can not be a reason for the denial of wage revision.

BSNL Management has already brought these and other points to the notice of the DOT. But no guidance has been recived so far to start wage negotiations. There is no doubt that serious united struggles will have to be organised for achieving results. The agitational programmes, including the One Day Strike on 27-07-2017  called for by Unions/Associations has to be fully participated and made successful as the answer to the delay in wage revision.

‘K.G.Bose Bhavan’ inaugurated at Manjeri, Kerala.

16 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by in P&T TU Movement

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A newly constructed building for the office of the NFPE at Manjeri,’K.G.Bose Bhawan’ was inaugurated by Com. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister, Kerala on 13th June 2017.  A large number of employees and public were present in the function. Many of the union offices of NFPE/BSNLEU in  Kerala are named in the memory of the great Revolutionary leader Com.K.G.Bose, who showed the correct path for forward march. It is worth mentioning here that the first Memorial to Com. KG Bose was constructed in Kozhikode as the office of the P&T Co-ordinating Committee which was named ‘KG Bose Mandiram’ and inaugurated by Com. Parul Bose, wife of Com.K.G.

Our hearty congratulations to comrades of Manjeri for their great effort!

WFTU solidarity statement with the people of Bangladesh

16 Friday Jun 2017

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WFTU solidarity statement with the people of Bangladesh
13 Jun 2017ASIA, BANGLADESH
Once again the working class and the poor people of Bangladesh pay with their lives the criminal lack of protection measures at the workplace as well as at the county’ districts where the popular strata live.

During the last week, 2 new incidents add tens of people in the never-ending list of victims. At least 25 people were killed during the daylong rainfall and the following landslide. Also 3 construction workers were killed as their platform collapsed.

The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing 92 million workers in the 5 continents, expresses its solidarity with the Bangladesh working class and supports their fair demands for protective measures in all aspects of life.

However, while the protection of the workers’ lives is just an additional cost for the bourgeoisie’s budget, the workers have to satisfy their demands through militant, class oriented and relentless struggles.

The WFTU expresses its sincere condolences to the families and friends. The WFTU supports the fair demands of the working class for more than 70 years and calls the workers in every corner of the world to continue the daily struggle for the abolition of the exploitation of man by man.

Signature Campaign against Privatisation of Kozhikode Railway Station

16 Friday Jun 2017

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As part of the protest action under the ” Kozhikode  Raliway Station Protection Committee”, a signature campaign was started at the station premises today, 16th June 2017, against the move to sell the Railway land to corporates in the name of modernisation of the station. About 5 acres of railway land is being leased to private parties at the rate of Re.1 for a square metre for 40-45 years.

IT IS PROPOSED TO COLLECT MORE THAN 5 LAKHS SIGNATURE AND SUBMIT THE SAME TO THE PRIME MINISTER DEMANDING WITHDRAWAL OF THE MOVE FOR PRIVATISATION.

Large number of people have already signed the memorandum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“If you are against the Government, you are against the Nation” – Gopalakrishna Gandhi

16 Friday Jun 2017

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” Those connected historically and culturally to the idea of a Hindu Rashtra are, today, promulgating their passionately held philosophy in different ways, dispersed incidents, apparently unconnected, in ways that make a Muslim feel fearful, a Christian feel as light as a leaf that can be blown off by a single majoritarian breath, a liberal feel vulnerable, a dissident feel rattled. They make the cattle-trader afraid, the non-vegetarian at his meal declare it is not, please, Sir, not beef. They go to make the journalist feel hesitant, the farmer feel betrayed,  the Dalit and tribal feel insecure. Above all, any one hurt by administrative wrongdoing or dismayed by state policy feel afraid to say so far: If you are against the government, you are against the nation.”

This quotation is from the article “The anniversary of a divide” written  by Gopalakrishna Gandhi former Governor and Diplomat published  in “The Hindu” dated 16th June 2017.

Yes, the situation is grave with the Modi Government and the Sangh Parivar trying to change India in to a Hindu Rashtra and authoritarian.

Resist it with all our might and fight.

World Day Against Child Labour – 12th June 2017

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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WFTU Declaration on the World Day Against Child Labour, 12th june

The World Federation of Trade Unions -WFTU-, which is the militant voice of 92 million workers in 126 countries of the globe, on the occasion of June 12th, World Day Against Child Labor, reaffirms its strong condemnation to this anachronistic and barbaric situation.

The WFTU since its foundation has fought by all its means and resources against all forms of capitalist exploitation, either “disguised” or clearly barbarian. Child labor is one of them, and the constant struggle against it is a matter of principle of our world trade union family, especially since it is a form of exploitation that industrialists and other big businessmen had been taking advantage of since the very beginning of their inhuman and exploitative system: The fortunes of bourgeois were created by the hands and blood of children.

Nowadays, the situation remains tragic since 168 million children are working in various jobs around the world, with the picture in the Asia-Pacific region being dramatic: about 9.3% of the child population is forced to work. With the outbreak of the capitalist crisis and the deepening of intra-imperialist rivalries, the exploitation of children is intensifying even more, always with a view to maximizing the profits of multinationals. Child workers are mainly employed in the sectors of agriculture, fishing and mining, while other children work even as modern-day slaves. In fact, immigrant children often suffer double exploitation, even in regions that were boasting about having eliminated this phenomenon, such as Europe.

Most of the time, these children suffer irreparable psychological, intellectual, social or moral injuries while many of them also fall victims of sexual exploitation. Despite the UN, ILO and other international organizations’ declarations, child labor still occurs at a large scale worldwide.

Once again the WFTU is clearly stating that the struggle for the abolition of child labor it more timely than ever. At the same time, it calls on all trade unions to take action so as to guarantee the rights of children. We call for action for:
a) public, free and compulsory education for the new generation. Abolition of all forms of child labor.
b) ensuring leisure and recreation for children, with a view to the healthy development of their psychological and mental health.
c) healthcare for the satisfaction of contemporary needs of the new generation.

At the same time, as class-oriented international trade union movement, we demand the abolition of the terms that figure in the laws of many countries, concerning “consent” of a child to work. Children’s rights are non-negotiable!
Stop to child labor!
Struggle for the protection of children’s rights!

WFTU SG’s Speech in ILO

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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The WFTU General Secretary addressed the 106th ILC Plenary Session today on June 12th, 2017
12 Jun 2017106th ILC, GS SPEECHES, ILO
106ILC – Plenary – June 12,2017

Speech of the World Federation of Trade Unions General Secretary Mr. George Mavrikos

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the World Federation of Trade Unions, we would like to extend our warm greetings to all representatives of trade union organizations of workers.

We live in a time period in which life, life quality, work and working conditions for the working class and the poor farmers are getting worse and worse day-by-day in all capitalist world.

The situation for all workers is crucial; the younger generations, the young workers, the young scientists and the young farmers are living in uncertainty and insecurity about the future.

The WFTU tries to organize the resistance and the struggles of trade unions in every corner of the planet, with the aim of defending the rights acquired by workers in every country and sector.

From this podium, we condemn the trade union persecutions in Kazakhstan; we express our solidarity with trade unionists in Colombia who suffer from the violence of paramilitary groups; especially we stand by the side of Colombian trade unionists who struggle against the efforts for dismantling of their trade unions. By the side of the workers in Honduras who struggle for collective bargaining agreements, by the side of Teachers in Mexico in their struggles against the education reforms, we express our solidarity with the ex-Braceros and with our brothers in Angola. We express our solidarity with the teachers and the working class in Turkey who suffer the consequences of the anti-democratic policies of the government of Turkey. We condemn the anti-labor policy of SAMSUNG multinational and we support the Samsung General Labor Union and its General Secretary Kim Sung Hwan who was in prison for 3 years because of his trade union activity.

The situation is complex and uncertain. The severe poverty and high unemployment generate a lot of difficulties in the development of struggles.

But we have no alternative. It is our duty to unite all workers according to the social class they belong to and to organize our resistance, sometimes through the defense, sometimes through the attack; with a flexible and clever strategy so as to have concrete positive results for the benefit of workers.

Along with the struggle for our financial, social, democratic and trade union rights that we must carry-out, we must also strengthen our action against the strategies of imperialism, of multinationals and transnationals that cause bloodshed to many peoples and force millions of people to abandon their country, region and home.

As WFTU, within the international trade union movement, we have at the forefront of our struggles our solidarity and internationalism with the peoples and the countries that are suffering imperialists interventions.

– Venezuela is today the target of the policies of the US and their allies.

– Cuba continues to suffer from the criminal US blockade that lasts more than 55 years.

-The Palestinian people still live without having their own country, while thousands of Palestinian children are imprisoned in the jails of Israel.

– The Syrian people suffer from the attacks of thousands of mercenaries who have been recruited and supported by imperialists.

– The peoples of Iraq, of Mali, of Libya, of Afghanistan, are suffering from undemocratic policies.

-The Gulf region is on fire because of the economic rivalries and intra-imperialistic antagonisms.

-The people of Mexico experience racism and the threats of the US President, who threatens to build a wall and persecute all economic immigrants.

This is the outline of the dark reality of today’s capitalism.

Under these circumstances the world working class, all workers, we need a militant, efficient and active trade union movement. We need trade unions that will have courage, that will withstand, that will be democratic; that they will pay attention to the base of their members and that will unite all workers irrespective of religion, color, gender and language.

In today’s framework the theme of “Building a future with decent work” is more accurate than ever and can be achieved only through class oriented struggles having in their center the satisfaction of workers contemporary needs.

The trade union movement also needs a representative ILO, without exclusions and discriminations; with equal treatment of its members trade unions, with democracy and transparency.

In this direction the WFTU has composed and distributed a text of general principles. We will continue our fight until the current unilateral picture of the Governing Body comes to an end. Proportional representation, equality and transparency are the preconditions for decent work and decent relations.

Thank you.