16 Thursday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
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Finance Ministry has notified 8.5% interest for EPF subscribers for the year 2012-13. It was 8.25% in 2011-12. The Unions have been in continuous demand for increasing the interest rate to 9.5%. But only 8.5% has been announced.
07 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
The strike by the Railway men in May 1974 which was participated by about 19 lakh workers and continued for about three weeks is the biggest strike known so far. It started on 8th May 1974 on the demands of Bonus and other issues. The government brutally suppressed the strike by arresting and jailing tens of thousands of workers, dismissing and terminating and through other victimisation.
A section of the Central Government employees under the leadership of Confederation of Central Govt. employees led by Com. S.K.Vyas also participated for 5 days. ( I was chargesheeted and punished for participation in the strike). The section led by Com.O.P.Gupta, not only did not participate, but worked against the strike and supported the government.
The strike was suppressed, but the result came after a few years. After the Janatha Government came in 1977, Bonus was first declared for the Railway workers and later for all Central Government employees.
on this 39th anniversary of the strike I pay Red Salute to all those comrades who participated and faced the brutal victimisation of the government.
06 Monday May 2013
Posted in TU News - International
WORLD FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS Class oriented – uniting – democratic – modern – independent!
1 40, ZAN MOREAS STREET, ATHENS 11745 GREECE TEL. (+30) 2109214417, (+30) 2109236700, FAX (+30) 210 9214517 http://www.wftucentral.org E-MAILS : info@wftucentral.org, international@wftucentral.org HM 05.05.2013
Athens, May 5 2013
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY OF THE WFTU WITH THE WORKERS AND THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA AGAINST THE RECENT ISRAELI AIR STRIKES
The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) strongly condemns the continuing Israeli airstrikes against Syria during these last few days.
The recent Israeli attacks are one more episode of the imperialist campaign against Syria. The main aim of the imperialists is to control the raw materials of the region, the energy and commodity transport routes, the share of the market, the weakening of the economic and political influence which other rival powers have in the region.
The World Federation of Trade Unions expresses its internationalist solidarity with the workers and the people of Syria and stresses that the Syrian people alone, and nobody else, are entitled to decide about their present and future.
THE SECRETARIAT
06 Monday May 2013
Posted in TU News - International
I was going through the latest issue of The Economic Times Magazine. There are two articles on China, one of them comparing the condition of the work force in both the countries. I will give some of the comparative figures that have mentioned therein, which are interesting:
India China
Total Workforce 438 million 761 million
Women workers 39% 71%
Casual/contract workers 84% 41%
Education Index 71% 39%
Both India and china together it is almost half of the world work-force.
A lot of revealing facts.
05 Sunday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
Yesterday, 4th May 2013, I have been to Kolkata to attend the 24th National Conference of Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers which is being held from 4th to 6th May. I reached the Conference site near Phool Bagan along with Coms. Saibal Sen Gupta, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU Kolkata Telephones, Om Prakash, Circle Secretary, TF and Biplab Das, Convener Co-ordination Committee. The procession participated by the all India delegates and the workers from Kolkata has just reached the site. The homage to the martyrs were going on. We also paid floral homages at the martyrs column.
The Conference Hall was named after Com. Moni Bose, veteran leader of P and T employees and Ajoy Bhowmik, leader of central govt. employees. The hall was full and overflowing. The leaders of all the central govt. organisations were. I could meet Coms.S.K.Vyas, KKN Kutty, M.Krishnan, R.L.Bhattacharjee, S.S.Ray, Ananta Bhattacharjee, Pabitra Chakraborty, Jyotsna Bose, MS Raja, Rajagopalan, Giri Raj Singh, Sobhana, , Mihir Das Gupta and many other leaders of the Central government employees movement. Though I could not speak with all the leaders since the Open Session started quickly, it was sufficient that we could meet and greet each other. BSNL leaders, including the circle secretaries, were also present in good numbers.
Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, National President, CITU inaugurated the Open session and called upon the central government employees for jointly fight against the anti-worker neo-liberal policies of the government. He also congratulated the employees for their good participation in the 48 hours strike on 20-21 February and the CGE strike in 12-12-2012. I spoke next and greeted the Conference. As I had to attend another meeting, I could not sit there till the end.
BSNL employees were part of the great CGE movement and the Confederation. After BSNL was formed, naturally the BSNL workers became part of the Public Sector employees movement. But still the bond and closeness continued. In many conferences of the Confederation, I could participate on invitation. It is a happy opportunity to meet the comrades with whom we had decades of close affinity and the experiences of struggles.
I wish the Conference of confederation every success!
05 Sunday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
The 24th National Conference of the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers was inaugurated at Kolkata by Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, National Secretary of CITU on 5th May 2013. In his inaugural speech, he congratulated the Confederation for their good participation in the 20-21 February Strike called by the 11 Central Trade Unions and also for the strike on 12th December 2012 on their own demands. The fight against the neo-liberal policies of the government will continue. The demands raised by the central trade unions in the February strike are the genuine demands of the workers and the common people and struggle will continue for settlement of the same.
The Open Session held on 5th May was presided over by Com. S.S.Ray, Convener, 12th July Committee,the united organisation of the Central, State, Public sector employees of W.Bengal. Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNL Employees union, Pradip Biswas, General Secretary, BEFI and other leaders of fraternal organisations greeted the conference. Coms. S.K.Vyas, Chairman, Confederation, K.K.N.Kutty, Secretary General, M.Krishnan, Secretary General, NFPE and other leaders of the Confederation also spoke. Veteran leaders Com. Ananata Kumar Bhattacharjee, President, AIBDPA, R.L.Bhattacharjee, Secretary general, NCCPA and other leaders were also present in the dais.
The Conference will continue on 5th and 6th May and will discuss organisational issues as well as the demands of the Central Government employees like Appointment of VII Central Pay Commission etc.
We Wish the Conference all success.
03 Friday May 2013
Posted in TU News - International
01 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - India
May Day was observed world over with participation of lakhs of workers in rallies, meetings and other activities. The International Workers Day was observed with enthusiasm in India also.
I attended the May Day Rally organised by CITU at Bengaluru. The same was held at Freedom Park after a big procession. There were large number of workers especially women workers from garments factories, domestic workers etc. In addition to CITU, it was jointly organised by AIIEA, BEFI, BSNLEU, State government employees etc. Com. Umesh, Secretary CITU, Prakash (CITU), Geetha (AIIEA) and other leaders addressed. I was given the privilege of presenting the domestic workers with the Identity Card issued by CITU. I thanked the organisers and congratulated the organisers and participants for the grand May Day Rally.
01 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in TU News - International
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My Revolutionary Greetings to all comrades, friends and well wishers on this May Day, the International Day of Workers!
May Day is celebrated and observed all over the world in memory of the great struggles waged by the working class and toiling masses for a better living, equal opportunities and for a socialist society where all are equal.
It is a day when we remember and pay homage to the numberless martyrs who sacrificed their all for the downtrodden and for a better society.
It is a day when we remember with pride the advances made by the workers, the great struggles organised for their cause.
MAY DAY GREETINGS !
29 Monday Apr 2013
Posted in TU News - International
As usual, this May Day also, a large number of delegates from many countries will be participating in the May Day celebrations in Havana, the capital of socialist Cuba. It is reported that 73 countries will be participating. The International Workers Day will be celebrated at Jose Marti Revolution Square in Havana. This will be a special occasion as the delegates will be paying special homage to late Comrade Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, who fought against US imperialism and introduced many revolutionary decisions and strengthened the Latin American unity against imperialism.
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