All the Central Trade Unions ( BMS, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, UTUC, TUCC, LPF, SEWA )congratulate the mass of the working people of the country for their overwhelming response to the united call of countrywide general Strike today the 28th February 2012 to press for their burning  demands. The call was given by all the Central Trade Unions in the country and was endorsed by almost all the major independent national federations of employees and workers.  Reports received from all over the country, reveal that around 10 crore workers took part in this strike across the industries and occupations, both in organized and unorganized sector. The demands before the Striking workers and their trade unions were 1) concrete measures to contain price rise 2) concrete measures for linkage of employment protection with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs, 3) Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violations, 4) universal social security cover for the unorganized sector workers without any restriction and creation of a National Social Security Fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendation of NCEUS and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and 5) Stoppage of disinvestment in central and state profit-making PSUs, 6) No Contractorisation of work of permanent/perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of the industry/establishment, 7) Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and  fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs 10,000/-, 8) Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund; Increase the quantum of gratuity, 9)Assured Pension for all, 10) Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days and immediate ratification of the ILO Conventions nos 87 and 98. All the Central Trade Unions in the country are agitating for the last nearly three years but it is deplorable that the Govt of India could find no time to talk to the Central Trade Unions during the intervening period to discuss and address the most burning problems facing the working people of the country. The notice for today’s strike was given on 2nd December 2011 but the Govt did not care to call the Central Trade Unions for discussion. Massive response to the call of General Strike by the workers enmasse visibly impacting almost all the sectors of the economy, viz., Coal, steel, petroleum, telecom, defence, banks, insurance, electricity, transport, port & dock, anganwadis, construction, brick-kilns, beedi etc both in organized and unorganized sector is a fitting reply to the utter neglect and insensitivity of the Governments towards the problems and miseries of  crores of the working masses who are keeping the country’s economy running. This is also a signal that the working people and their unions would no way accept such indifference and neglect lying down and carry forward their struggle to a higher pitch if their basic demands are not addressed by the Govt through concrete remedial action.

According to the reports already received, the one day strike of today, 28th February, is a complete success all over India, including in BSNL. Most of the offices are closed in BSNL, Posts, Banks, Insurance and other central and State establishments. Public and private sector workers are also in full strike.

In Kerala and W.Bengal it is almost a complete Bandh. Despite strong attack on the strike by the Mamata Government, the W.Bengal workers have made the strike a complete success. In BSNL also it is the same case.

The last-minute appeal for withdrawing the strike by the Prime Minister has been rejected by the central Trade Unions. What can be the belief in the Prime Minister who has asked his government to file appeal against the High Court Karnataka decision on minimum wage?

In the NTR Circle, the entire striking workers organised a big demonstrations which was addressed by Com. Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU, V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU, Islam Ahmed, President, NFTE,  Thomas John, President, FNTO, R.S.Chouhan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU and others.

My Hearty Congratulations to all for the participation in the Historic Strike!

History was created in the midnight of 14-15 August 1947, when the tricolour flag was hoisted on the ramparts of the Red Fort by Jawaharlal Nehru indicating the declaration of Freedom of our nation, India, from the clutches of British Imperialism.

History is again created in the midnight of 27-28 February 2012 when the entire working class in India has started the historic one day strike to defend the rights of the common people and the toiling masses and to march ahead for advancing the rights of the workers against the neo-liberal policies of the government which has only made the life miserable to crores of common people.

My Hearty Greetings and Congratulations to all on this historic moment!

Dear Comrades,

I appreciate and thank you for the solidarity and support given to the one day nation-wide strike on 28th February called by the 11 Central trade Unions and also all the Non-Executive Unions in BSNL. More than 5000 unions in the country have given call for strike in addition to the 11 Central Trade Unions and hundreds of All India Federations of Central, State and Public Sector organisations.

The demands are well-known to you. They include the demands of the common people of this country in addition to that of the workers. The strike against the neo-liberalisation policy of the central government which has mad life of the people and the  workers miserable. The struggle to save BSNL and on other common issues we have fought together and have settled many issues.

In this great struggle of crores of workers we feel that we should be together, shoulder to shoulder, to fight for the rights of the workers. While we are thankful for your support and solidarity, I would once again request you  if possible to join the strike or at least co-operate with the striking workers in the most effective way.

Banking, insurance, telecom, transport, Defence, mining, postal, and other Central and State Government services will be hit on Tuesday owing to the country-wide strike call by central trade unions.

This is for the first time that trade unions of all hues, the Left, Congress, BJP, Shiv Sena, Muslim League etc. have joined hands to voice their protest against violation of trade union rights, growing contracterisation, disinvestment, privatisation and growing price rise.

“Apart from the 11 central trade unions, 40 federations and about 5,000 other unions will be participating in the action,’ said Mr A.K Padmanabhan, President, Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister is reported to have got in touch with the Congress-backed INTUC leader, Mr G. Sanjeeva Reddy, appealing that the strike be called off.

Asked why the unions were not heeding to appeals by the Prime Minister and the Labour Minister, Mr Padmanabhan said, “They have still not called us for talks. We were forced to give the strike notice only after repeated attempts to reach out failed. This Government does not care for workers.”

Workers from both organised and organised sectors are expected to participate in the “mega’ strike, he said.

In Delhi and the National Capital Region, the areas that are likely to be affected are Gurgaon, Manesar Industrial area, Gurgaon city, Udyog Vihar Industrial area, Daruhera etc, where a large number of multinational companies and industries are present.

In Delhi, industrial areas in Mayapuri, Patparganj, Okhla, Kirtinagar, Naraina, Bavana etc may also be hit.

Meanwhile, the World Federation of Trade Unions has extended support to the strike and has appealed to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to discontinue policies that affect the living conditions of workers. ( Courtsey : Business Line )

The last-minute diplomacy of the government has been defeated. In an effort to divide the unity of the Central trade unions, the labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge contacted INTUC President Sanjeeva Reddy for talks  and requesting him to call off the strike. Sanjeeva Reddy refused and told the Minister that if you want discussion call all the unions. Leaders of other central trade unions also stated that the government had months after the strike decision was known, but the unions were not called for discussion  till now and the strike will take place. They also told that the government can discuss after the strike is over and settle the demands of the workers.

My hearty congratulations to the leaders of all the Central Trade Unions who have stood together and moving towards the united strike !

There is no doubt that the government does not take the Central Trade Unions seriously. The call for the 28th February Strike was issued by all the 11 recognised Central Trade Unions and more than 5000 independent All India Federations/Unions months back and the government was fully aware of it. In the recent Indian Labour Conference which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh himself, the Central trade Unions have brought these issues including their decision to go on strike. But the PM did not even assure anything. Instead he stressed the need to liberalise the labour rules to benefit the corporates and the employers.

The last-minute appeal by the Prime minister is only an eyewash to hoodwink the people. Mallikarjun  Kharge has also appealed for withdrawal of the strike stating that almost all the issues raised by the unions have been addressed. There is nothing more untruthful than this. None of the issues raised in the charter has been settled. Instead, more and more issues are coming due to the aggressive implementation of the neo-liberal policies and decisions by this government.

The lakhs of workers in the private sector, public sector, central and state government employees, unorganised workers – all are determined to make the strike a big success and continue the struggle. The option for the government is to discuss these issues with the trade unions and settle them at the earliest. More and more unions and workers are joining the strike call.

It will be one of the biggest and massively participated in the history of Independent India. It will be historical and a stern warning to the Government to change its anti-worker policies. BSNL Workers will also participate in this great struggle in full strength.

Workers across public & private institutions, large & small, across all trade unions bring the country to a grinding halt on 28th February 2012. It is historic, that 11 trade unions, disregarding their political affiliations, have stood up for the rights of their primary constituents, the workers. INTUC, BMS, HMS & other central trade unions have rallied around CITU & AITUC to create a modern milestone, since neo-liberalisation took control of industrial relations. What is epochal is the support of farmers, small & mid-sized shops & unorganised labour! Let’s take a look at the broad scenario of increasing exploitation of the workers. Total employment in the organized sector has come down from 2.82 crs in 1998 to 2.75 crs in 2008. Let’s look at the criminal appropriation of the value created in the manufacturing sector. The share of wages in the net value added has declined from 30% in 80s to around 10% in 2008-09. On the other hand profits have gone up from being at 20% to about 60% in 2008. The neo-liberal policies of the US led Congress & BJP governments in the center have systematically achieved the objectives of their primary constituency, ‘Capital’. These governments have also systematically emasculated the collective bargaining capability of the Indian worker. They have successfully ‘contractualised’ Indian labour. Not only has the private sector been allowed to flout all rules in keeping a majority of their working force contractual & this may I remind, even before neo-liberal labour reforms are legislated, the government itself has been a perpetrator of exploitation in its PSUs. It has not only increasingly allowed permanent workers to be replaced by contract labour, it has used outsourcing to deprive workers of their rights. It is shocking to see that the majority of the workers in the PSU mining sector are contractual. These contract employees are not only deprived of security of tenure but also of social security benefits. The Indian governments have also not shied away from letting the meager pensions & PF of its PSU workers remain unpaid for years. Let’s take a look at the Mamata run government in West Bengal. It stopped the salaries & pensions of its transport corporations right after it came to power. It took a worker’s suicide to move the government. The share of the contract workers have grown from 20% in 1999-2000 to 32% in 2008-09. The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised sector (NCEUS) has reported that out of a total workforce of 45.6 cr in India in 2004-05, the informal sector accounted for 39.3 cr, 86% of the total. It is this segment which is the most exploited resulting in 77% of the Indian population spending less than Rs.20 per day. The government has sharpened its anti-people policy of creating the cheapest possible ‘reserve labour force’ over the last 2 decades since the inception of neo-liberalisation. While the country has grown in GDP & inflation terms, the agrarian sector has seen a growth of suicides. Over 2.5 lakh small farmers have taken their lives in the last 15 years, as per NCRB records. 75% of this sector which comprises 65% of the Indian population is forced to migrate to the cities & work as slave-like labour in the cities. The ever-greedy capitalist class wants further labour reforms on top of this, which the US-led government is more than happy to provide. The left trade unions have been fighting this for decades & have finally been able to unite all unions to fight this nihilistic government. The 10 unions to come together are CITU, AITUC, INTUC, BMS, HMS, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF, SEWA. The united front had warned the government with a massive ‘Satyagraha & Jail Bharo’ Campaign on the 8th of Nov but having failed to move the government one bit, they have taken this decision of a nationwide General Strike with all employees of the Oil & Petroleum sector, the mines, the banks, Telecom, government, et al . They have raised a comprehensive list of demands, the 5 points jointly formulated by the Central Unions & Federations are: 1)    Concrete measures to contain price rise 2)    Concrete measures for linkage of employment protection with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs 3)    Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption. Stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws. 4)    Universal social security cover for the unorganized sector workers without any restriction & creation of a National Social Security Fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendation of the NCEUS & Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour 5)    Stoppage of disinvestment in central & state profit-making PSUs. The Central Trade Unions also demand immediate action by the Government of India to ensure: 1)    No contractualisation of work of permanent/perennial nature & payment of wages & benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of establishment/industry. 2)    Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules & fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs.10,000/- per month. 3)    Remove all ceilings on payment & eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund. Increase in the quantum of gratuity. 4)    Assured Pension for all. 5)    Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days & immediate ratification of the ILO conventions nos. 87 & 98. West Bengal, reeling under the tyrannical Mamata run govt has decided to call for a bandh apart from the strike. All govt. employees, merchants, students, women, rickshaw, auto & taxi unions are all committed to observe a 24-hour bandh against an absolutely anti-people state government. The peasants, led by the Kishan Sabhas are joining their toiling brothers across the state. The state is again a sea of red flags, with people marching in every ward, every village, blowing the conch of the start of a relentless ‘Class struggle’. This government, in turn, has exposed her true colours with the CM & senior cabinet ministers threatening punitive actions. It is already reached its logical cynical extreme that such authoritarian rightist formations have demonstrated over history. The people of West Bengal, bred on a history of struggle, be it freedom or class rights, demonstrated its ire with millions congregating at the Brigade last week & remains committed to deliver a stern warning to the profiteering establishment. (Courtsey : Ganashakti)

On the one hand the UPA government say they are labour friendly. But whatever actions/ decisions they are taking, they are all against the labour. They have changed the Pension Rules from defined pension to contributory pension through PFRDA Ordinance and are trying to make in to an Act through Parliament. They could not pass the bill due to objections from opposition as also from some of its allies. They are not prepared to increase the minimum wage. They support hire and fire policy demanded by the corporates and employers. They want to increase the working hours from 8 to 10 or 12 hours. They are refusing to grant registration to many eligible unions. Recruitment of regular workers has almost stopped and instead contract workers at very low wages are engaged for the regular work against the Contract Labour Act. Police support is given to the employers to break the strikes as we have seen in many recent strikes.

Now the new attack on labour is in the case of National Manufacturing Zones (NMZ) proposed to be constituted in about 8 places in the country. These are far bigger than the Special Economic Zones (SEZ), covering two or three states. The employers and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion wants that the labour laws in the country should not be applicable to these NMZs and an officer appointed by the NMZ will attend to these issues. The meaning is very clear. The labour machinery in the central or state will  not be able to intervene in any labour dispute like retrenchment, wages, working hours, social security measures etc.  Fire and hire will be the rule.

It is not surprising that the Prime Minister is on the side of the employers. He recently told to the Indian Labour Conference held at New Delhi that labour laws need modification, meaning that the existing labour laws need to be changed to suit the requirement of the employer.

It seems that the Labour Ministry is resisting this plan to torpedo the labour rules. But when the Prime Minister himself is in for  change of labour laws in favour of the employers, how the Labour Ministry can stop it. It can only be stopped by the mighty force of the working class.  It is the responsibility of the trade unions to oppose and defeat it.

The 28^th February Nationwide One day Strike is part of this great fight to save the labour from these attacks. Let us make it a big success and a warning to the government that the working class in this country will never allow the government to implement anti-worker decisions.

March towards 28^th February Strike with courage and determination !.