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Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI | Filed under General
Massive CPI(M) protest in Tripura against price rise, FDI, Corruption etc.
30 Thursday May 2013
Author Archives: VAN NAMBOODIRI
Violation after violation of rules by private telcos
30 Thursday May 2013
Posted in Telecom
It has become a routine for the private telecom companies to continuously violate rules, regulations and licence conditions to garner big profits. From the latter part of the 1990, when the private companies have been allowed to provide telecom services, these violations also started. This is despite the large concessions and benefits allowed to them by the government, to increase the teledensity in the country.
But even after these violations are exposed, the government machinery moves very slowly resulting in either that necessary actions are not followed to penalise them or they are taken very late and the offenders go scot free.
The latest example is the case of Airtel whic has cheated the government from paying the comparatively higher taxes for roaming and STD/SLD calls by converting them as local calls and paying the lower taxes. This relates to the period 2003 to 2005 with regard to 13 circles. Though the cheating was found out and notice issued, nothing was done.
At last now, the DOT is proposing a penalty of Rs. 650 crore to be paid by the Airtel. But whether it will be approved by the government / Minister is one question. There is no doubt that Airtel may approach court. Again the decision will not be implemented. And at last some understanding will be reached by reducing the penalty.Vodafone ( Hutch period) also is involved in similar cheating.
Another example is the Income Tax of Rs.14,000 crore to be paid by Vodafone. it is pending for many years. The government earlier stated that they will take a tough stand. But now, the same government is in a move to reach a consensus, which will mean, reducing the tax amount substantially and help the company.
These vacillations of the government are not a coincidence. In fact, it is part of the neo-liberal policy being persued by it. These wrong policies should be thoroughly exposed and defeated.
14th Conference of CITU : Immediate Tasks
29 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India, Uncategorized
| The Immediate tasks outlined for the coming period by the 14th AIC of CITU is reproduced below:
1. Week-long intensive campaign at all workplaces and industrial areas commencing from CITU Foundation Day on 30th May 2013 focusing on demands; i) Minimum Wage at not less than Rs 10,000 per month and its linkage with consumer price index for the purpose of Dearness Allowance; ii) Same Wage as regular workers for same and similar work for the contract workers in respective industries and establishments to be enforced stringently through appropriate amendment of Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition ) Act 1970; and iii) Universal Social Security coverage and assured pension for all workers both in unorganized and organized sector; – Covering widest spectrum of workers and activising all union level committees; – Widespread distribution of handbills; pasting posters, holding gate-meetings, shop level meetings, at workers’ residential colonies, area level meetings etc to be decided by the state/district/area/union level committees; – Aiming to reach widest sections of workers irrespective of their affiliations; – State committees monitoring and sending reports to CITU centre with every details including number of printed materials circulated and number of workers directly covered. 2. The campaign is to culminate in next week-long massive mobilization and agitation, the form to be decided by the state committees, at district/block/ tehsil level or staging dharna before the central/state government offices.
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CITU completes 43 years of fruitful service
29 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
On 30th May 2013, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) completes 43 years of fruitful service to the workers. It was formed on 30th May 1970 at the Conference of progressive workers held at at Calcutta from 28th to 31 May 1970. The first President was Com.B.T.Ranadive and General Secretary Com. P.Ramamoorthy. Comrades Samar Mukherjee, E.Balanandan, M.K.Pandhe, Chittabrata Majumdar and Mohammed Amin also occupied the posts of President/General Secretary during later period. At present Com. A.K.Padmanabhan is the President and Com. Tapan Sen the General Secretary. The 14th All India Conference was conducted at Kannur on 4-8 April 2013.
It will be only appropriate to reproduce a small note on the CITU from the documents of the organisation itself which will give a brief picture of CITU.
| “The CITU represents workers in every field of trade activities including the workers in industrial and service sectors like Coal, Electricity, Steel, Heavy Engineering, Construction, Electronics, Oil & Natural Gas – production and refining, Petrochemicals, Fertilisers, Pharmaceuticals, Rail, Road, Air & Water Transport, Port & Docks, Telecommunications, Textile, Financial & other service sectors, Plantation, etc. Apart from the organised sector, the CITU has got pioneering role in organising the unorganised and informal sector workers, which dominate the numerical strength of the work force in India. Yet another important segment of the trade union movement in the country is the working women. Organising the working women is a priority agenda of CITU. The All India Coordination Committee of Working Women (CITU) had been functioning for over two decades, focusing its attention on mobilising the women workers and promoting women cadres to leadership position in the trade unions. The CITU has fraternal links with the trade union centres in several countries and frequent exchange of views/communications, mutual visits by delegations are regularly taking place. The CITU has been participating in seminars, workshops and other meets organised by different agencies at national and international levels on various issues, especially pertaining to the working class and trade union movement. The CITU is bringing out its official monthly organ `The Working Class’ (in English) and “CITU Mazdoor” (in Hindi). The CITU has published a large number of books and pamphlets, both in English and Hindi, covering various subjects of interest to the working class. At enterprise level, activity of the CITU unions pertains to organising workers for achieving better wages, service condition, health and safety, etc and through those activities consolidating the collective strength and consciousness of the workers. Besides the above, the CITU unions also intervene in the various aspects of management of the enterprise seeking greater involvement of the workers in the efficient running of the enterprise and for strengthening participative mechanism at enterprise-level. The CITU unions also carry on detailed study of the technology at the industry level to equip them for effective intervention. Side by side the CITU unions have undertaken the task of uniting other trade unions and also officers’ organisations in the enterprise level to pressurise the management, government and the related agencies for redressal of workers’ grievances at the enterprise/industry level. Apart from the fight against the onslaughts of imperialist globalisation in general, the CITU is engaged in particular in the fight against the anti-people policies of liberalisation and privatisation. The important issues before the trade union movement in the country, inter alia, are attacks on trade union right, right to strike, right to collective bargaining, pro-employer retrograde changes in the labour laws, reduction of social security, closure of industrial units and massive retrenchment of workers, outsourcing and casualisation/informalisation of employment, menacing growth of unemployment, etc. In India, the present coalition government at the national level has been promoting religious fanaticism and engineering sectarian violence to divide the working class and the people in the country on religious communal lines. They are employing such notorious tactics to cover their failure on all fronts and to divert the attention of the people from the hardships of life and livelihood. The CITU is engaged in the struggle against such divisive forces, defending the unity of working class. At macro level, the CITU has undertaken the task for uniting the trade union movement as a whole in the struggle for reshaping the government policy in the overall interest of the national economy, sustainable and self-reliant industrial development, the working class and common people. The CITU has been playing pivotal role in strengthening the unity and struggles of working class in the country. Widespread agitation in different forms all over the country, local and national levels demonstrations by millions of workers and countrywide strikes have been organised jointly by the central trade unions and federations of industrial workers and government employees. While pursuing this task, the CITU also took initiative in uniting the mass organisations of peasantry, agricultural workers, students, youth, women and other professionals also. This led to formation of National Platform of Mass Organisations, a platform which organised many countrywide strikes and various other agitations and campaigns. Recently, the apex judiciary in the country, the Supreme Court of India, came out with a judgement, with pronouncements denying the workers of their ‘Right to Strike’. The CITU, along with the other CTUs had been spearheading the resistance struggle to get the pernicious impact of the judgement nullified. The period ahead is slated to witness nationwide united strikes to defend the right to strike, as well as more anti-privatisation strikes in the different industrial sectors like Coal, Oil & Refinery, Electricity, and Financial Sectors.” |
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| On the 43rd foundation anniversary of CITU, I convey my Revolutionary Greetings and Best Wishes to CITU, its leaders and members throughout the country! | ||
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EPF contribution to include all allowances also – employers oppose
28 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
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At present, contribution to the EPF is calculated on the basis of 12% of basic pay and dearness allowance, which will be deducted from the salary of the employee and remitted to EPFO. Same amount is to be contributed by the employers also. To reduce contribution to EPF, many employers, corporates etc. are not increasing the salary, but will increase the allowances etc. on which EPF contribution need not be remitted. The contribution to ESI also is not increased. But at the same time, the employee will have to pay tax for the entire amount including the allowances.
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) had already proposed that all the allowances should be included for calculation of the EPF contribution. The EPFO is going to notify the provision so that the employees will get the benefit. But the employers and corporates are opposing the same and trying to influence the government so aas to avoid contributing the increased amount.
The government should take a strong stand and ensure that the workers’ rights of getting higher contribution is implemented.
Reduce TV advts to 12 minutes in an hour – TRAI
28 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in General
Tags
advt. time, TRAI, TV
Sometimes the advertisements form a good part of the hour in the TV, especially the movies, serials etc. It is not different at the news time also. The viewers are completely harassed.
There are directions of the TRAI to reduce the advertisement time to 12 minutes in an hour, but it was completely ignored by the TV corporates. Now, the TRAI has reiterated its instructions and also stated that violators will be taken to task.
It is reported that the advertisement time will be restricted to 30 minutes up to September 2013 and afterwards it will be strictly 12 minutes only. The TV channels have protested, but the TRAI has now taken a firm position.
It is a good decision which will be appreciated by the public.
Delhi High Court issues notice to Idea for violation of orders
28 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
Delhi High Court on 27th May issued notices to Idea Cellular and its top executives including Chairman Kumaramangalam Birla for violation of its earlier order prohibiting the company from providing 3G service to customers in circles where it has not been allotted spectrum for the purpose.
The private companies like Idea,Vodafone, Airtel etc. have been providing the 3G services illegally in many circles with out allocation of spectrum through the licences of other companies. it is to be noted that BSNL was compulsorily allotted 3G spectrum in all circles and charged a hefty amount for the same, while these private companies by paying a small amount was providing service in all the circles.
The govt. should act strongly and cancel the licences of these erring companies instead of making compromises.
Protests against Austerity measures in Lisbon (Portugal)
28 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - International
Thousands of people demonstrated in the streets of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, protesting against austerity measures imposed by the government.
They demanded the resignation of the government marching on 25th May from central Lisbon towards the presidential palace. The demonstrators who were prevented from reaching the palace gathered outside the nearby Monastery of the Jeronimos. They shouted slogans against Troika, which is comprised of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Central Bank (ECB) and European Commission (EC).
The protest demonstration was organized by the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP), the largest Portuguese union group, which has some 600,000 members. The Portuguese government has been continuing with its austerity measures creating more and more miseries to the workers and people. Portugal’s UGT labor confederation says unions will reject any cuts that affect wages, pensions, or public sector jobs and will continue agitation.
Air India – 5 Experts appointed Part-time Directors
27 Monday May 2013
Posted in PSU
As part of the revival process of the ailing Air India, the government has appointed 5 outside experts as Part-time Directors of its Board. It is stated that this is being done for its Turn-around and Financial Restructuring Plans.
On the one side, government wants cost-cutting and on the other side, government itself is taking decisions to increase the expenditure by appointing consultants, experts etc. spending heavy amount for the same. We have seen what these experts and consultants are recommending. It is only what the government wants like VRS, disinvestment, selling of the land assets of the company etc.
Any how, let us see what these experts are going to suggest.
Cabinet Committee to decide on sale of 10% shares in IOC
27 Monday May 2013
Posted in Telecom
Tags
The Department of Disinvestment (DoD) had sent a draft note to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for selling of an additional 10% shares of the profitable Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for raising over Rs. 7,000 crore. The government share will come down from 78.92% to 68.92% through the sale.
Once again, the Central Government has initiated disinvesting of PSU shares in a big way. It was only a few days back that the government decided for 10% selling of Coal India shares which has been stopped by the workers’ protest.
