Category Archives: TU News – India

TU News from India

Privatsation of Chennai, Kozhikode Railway Stations.

21 Friday Apr 2017

Posted by in Neo-liberal policy, TU News - India

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As part of implementing the Bibek Debroy report, central government is proposing to privatise many railway stations in the name of modernisation, providing more facilities etc. Chennai and Kozhikode are two of these railway stations.

The intention is to hand over the railway stations to the private so that the latter can utilise the land, construct buildings, do their business and garner huge profit. They will loot the travellers by increasing price  for everything in the station, including food. The hard experience of the privatisation of airports is before us.

This attack on the Railways and the public/travellers has to be opposed and defeated as was done in the case of privatisation of Chennai and Kolkata airports by the people of T.Nadu and W.Bengal. It is appreciated that the trade unions, on the initiative of the  railway unions, have opposed the anti-worker  anti-people decision.

Haryana Roadway Workers’ Strike – Support by CITU

14 Friday Apr 2017

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CITU EXTENDS SUPPORT TO STRIKING
HARYANA ROADWAYS WORKERS AGAINST PRIVATISATION OF ROUTES

2017-04-13

New Delhi, April 13: The workers of Haryana Roadways Corporation irrespective of affiliations had been on strike since 10th April 2017 opposing award of 1600 permits to  private operators to ply on 253 routes by the BJP Government of Haryana. In these 253 routes mainly the Haryana Roadways buses have been plying.  The game plan is to push the state-owned Haryana Roadways Corporation to unviability leading to its sickness paving way for total privatization of passenger transport system in the state.
The strike is being conducted by all the unions of Haryana Roadways workers and the strike is total even on the fourth day. Workers are determined to resist the ugly game plan of the BJP Govt of Haryana to completely privatise the passenger transport services in the state much to the detriment of the interests of people and Roadways workers which will only benefit the private operators and those in the Government handling the contracts. The BJP-run State Government unleashed severe repression on the workers and more than 150 union leaders have been put under suspension. Braving all repression, strike is continuing totally demonstrating total unity of the workers and common people in general came forward in supporting the strike action denouncing the nefarious conspiracy of the state government for privatization of bus services.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions congratulates the Haryana Roadways workers for their heroic strike struggle  and extends all support to their struggle against privatization. Already CITU unions and other mass organizations in Haryana have been organizing solidarity programmes throughout the state. CITU calls upon the working class to stand by the continuing strike struggles by the Haryana Roadway workers against privatization and demands upon the State Government of Haryana to refrain from their retrograde decision, withdraw all victimization and end the stalemate in consultation with the unions.

IT major Cognizant retrenches 10,000 employees

12 Wednesday Apr 2017

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Cognizant Technologies Solutions, a major IT company, which has got ten units in India, is on a retrenchment mode. Almost 10,000 employees are being sent out by retrenchment or resignation. The units are at Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Mangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram and Kolkata. Those who do not resign even after pressure may be retrenched out right. This is the method of the MNCs and Indian corporates. Hire and Fire is the method and the government usually does not interfere in the matters of the corporates. It is time that strong trade unions are formed in the IT sector to resist such attacks on the workers.

WFTU solidarity to the workers of Maruti Suzuki in India

10 Monday Apr 2017

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World Federation of Trade UNions (WFTU) has extended its support to the Maruti workers and demanded unconditional release of the jailed workers. The full text is given below:

WFTU solidarity statement for the workers of Maruti Suzuki in India
04 Apr 2017 ASIA, INDIA
The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing 92 million workers in the 5 continents, expresses its dissatisfaction and denounces the sentence of life to 13 workers and of 5 years jail to four more workers of Maruti Suzuki, regarding the incident of violence in the Manesar plant of Maruti in 2012.

The violent incident in 2012, plotted by the management of the factory, through the hiring of musclemen in order to crush the trade unions and the workers who were fighting for their rights. The convicted workers are not responsible for the incident in which a general manager of the factory was killed.

The WFTU is greeting the demonstrations and the initiatives to take place on 5th April 2017, expressing the Trade unions’ solidarity and demanding the unconditional release of the Maruti workers and reinstatement of dismissed workers.

The Secretariat

CITU condemns central government decision to withdraw benefits to workers.

07 Friday Apr 2017

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New Delhi, April 4: Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) strongly condemns the decision of the government of India to withdraw the benefits under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, for the MGNREGA workers.

The government of India has directed all the state and UT governments to withdraw registration of MGNREGA workers under the Building and Other Construction Workers (RECS) Act vide Labour Ministry’s Order dated 10th February 2017.

It is to be recalled that the decision to include MGNREGA workers who have completed 50 days of work, under the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, was taken in 2013 after the Supreme Court has directed the government in 2012 to issue appropriate directions for the effective implementation of the Act.

It is highly regrettable that instead of taking measures to ensure effective implementation of the Act and that the welfare benefits under the Act reach the workers, the government has denied the poor workers the benefits to which they were entitled. Less than 32% of construction workers were registered under the Act as in January 2016. The amount collected as cess was Rs 24277.38 crores while it has been estimated that Rs 70270 crores ought to have been collected. And out of this only a measly sum of Rs 5684.8 crores has been spent for the benefit of nearly 2.3 crores workers registered with the board.

Since the BJP led government has come to power at the centre in 2014, it has been attacking the MGNREGA. Adequate funds are not being provided. The number of days of work provided under MGNREGA was less than 50 at the national level, making most of the MGNREGA workers ineligible even as per the earlier direction. In such a situation, instead of taking measures to improve their conditions, withdrawing even the existing benefit is deplorable.

CITU demands that government of India to immediately withdraw the concerned direction to the state and UT governments and continue registration of MGNREGA workers under the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Act.

CITU calls upon all the organisations of MGNREGA workers and the building and construction workers, irrespective of affiliations to join together to bring pressure on the government to withdraw the concerned direction to the state and UT government. It calls upon all its state committee to support the struggle of the MGNREGA workers against the withdrawal of their benefits’

Aggressive push for ‘Labour Reforms’ – Central Labour Minister

16 Thursday Mar 2017

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Central Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya has stated that ‘ all political parties must support the labour reforms’ being brought by the government. This statement gets most significance, especially that it is made after the massive win for BJP in UP assembly elections.

The government wants that the existing 45 or so labour acts should be reduced to 4 labour codes in the name of simplifying the labour acts. But in fact, it is much more. The government proposes to address the concerns of the employers who want the labour laws to be amended to suit their requirements including ‘hire and fire’. Many of the social security benefits, won by the workers through hard struggles and by the intervention of judiciary, are being trampled upon by the employers and now they want the acts and rules to be amended to suit them.

The Central Trade Unions have strongly opposed the anti-labour amendments and protest actions including strike have taken place. But the government is moving with its anti-labour agenda. Of course, it is the government of the corporates and will give most importance to their agenda. It is pertinent to point out here that more than 75 % of the BJP MLAs elected now in U.P. are crorepatis.

The working class has to unitedly fight these anti-worker moves of the government.

2nd September Strike – Government statement a mockery, CITU.

30 Tuesday Aug 2016

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CIYU Hasissued the following statement on the Press Release issued by the Government:

30th August 2016
The Group of Ministers headed by the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley, and comprising Labour Minister, Petroleum Minister and Power Minister held a Press Conference today on 30th August 2016 to tell the nation that the Govt had accepted major demands of the trade unions and hence they should not go in for strike on 2nd September 2016. CITU considers the statement of the Govt nothing but a mockery meted out to workers.

The Statement of the Finance Minister that the Govt has accepted the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee is totally untrue. The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee met on 30th August 2016 at 3 pm and ended inconclusive while all the workers’ representatives reiterated their demand of Rs 18000/-. Such mis-statement by Govt is a deliberate ploy to mislead and confuse the workers before the strike.

Govt’s offer of a floor level minimum wage of Rs 350/- per day, i.e., Rs 9100/- per month (26 days) is cruel joke by the Govt making a posture of accepting the demands of workers. Trade unions reject such a mockery in the name of offer with the contempt it deserves.

Releasing previous year’s bonus for the central govt employees is not something about Govt’s magnanimity. Govt did so to implement the enhanced ceiling as per the Payment of Bonus Act for them, which they should have done much earlier. Now they have released in order to deceptively pose that the Govt has been considering so many things. So far as the court cases on implementation of Payment of Bonus Act is concerned, it is the responsibility of the central govt to defend and implement the Act passed by Parliament, for which they cannot claim any special credit. But this NDA Govt should better note that it is the BJP Govt in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan etc have withheld implementation of the Bonus Act for the year 2014-15 on their own citing the High Court Orders in Kerala and Karnataka which were not binding on them. That makes the real intention clear.

Govt also stated that they will issue advisory to state governments to ensure registration of trade unions within 45 days. Advisory is not having binding impact. What is required is to make statutory arrangement. But in their proposals on labour reforms, Govt has already put so many conditions that would make registering trade union virtually impossible.

On being asked in the press conference about the right to minimum wages for the central Govt Scheme workers like Anganwadi, Mid-day-meal, ASHA etc , The Finance Minister brushed the questioner aside saying that scheme workers are all volunteers and not workers. He must recall that the 46th Indian Labour Conference held during NDA regime has unanimously reiterated the recommendation of the previous ILC that the Scheme workers should be recognized as workers with right to minimum wages and attendant benefits.

The Minister further stated that the scheme workers will be covered by the Social Security benefits for which a committee will be constituted. Almost same statement was uttered by him one year before on 26-27 August 2015, prior to previous general strike. Nothing has been done yet. Rather ESIC has offered extremely partial ESI benefit to Anganwadi and mid-day-meal workers on payment of Rs 250/- per month which amounts to 8.33% of the paltry earning of the anganwadi workers, 16% of the anganwadi helpers and 25% of the mid-day-meal workers; whereas the workers covered by ESIC Act are to contribute 1.75% of their wage for full ESI benefit. Such proposal is dubiously designed to deny them the social security benefit and this deceptive game is going on.

In reality, Govt’s announcement in the press conference on the charter of demands of the workers is nothing but a hoax and must be rejected outright. This is game to confuse and mislead people just on the eve of strike. Such deceptive and dubious ploy of the Govt must be combated through making the 2nd September 2016 a massive success.

56th Anniversary of the 1960 Strike of Central Government Employees

10 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by in CG Employees, TU News - India

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July 11th, 2016 is the 56th anniversary of the Historic Five Days Strike of the Central Government employees.

The strike was against the retrograde recommendations of the II Central Pay Commission, which did not recommend  minimum wage as per the 15th Indian Labour Conference approved formula as also no automatic DA as demanded by the unions was accepted. The increase in the wage was minimal.

Under the Joint Council of Action of the Central Government employees Federations  (AIRF, AIDEF, Confederation and NFPTE), the biggest Indefinite strike in independent India started on the night of 11/12th July 1960. The government refused to negotiate despite the continued efforts of the JCA as also many Members of Parliament including Firoze Gandhi ( Husband of Indira Gandhi). The government was adamant. Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru called the strike as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and utilised the entire government machinery to crush it. Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) was promulgated and thousands of workers were arrested, convicted, dismissed, suspended, terminated and charge sheeted. All India leaders were arrested and put in Tihar Jail. Never before India has seen such brutal attack on any strike in the country.

It is to the credit of the workers and their loyalty to their organisation that the strike continued for five days. The entire train running system, the postal and telecom services were all badly affected. Unable to continue against the brutal attack of the government machinery and victimisation, the strike was called of on the fifth day.

5 Railways workers in Dohad were killed by police firing. 2 comrades in Kerala (one from postal and one from telephones) committed suicide unable to face the termination from service. Many were punished with rigorous imprisonment. Public, trade union leaders and outsiders were arrested for supporting the strike. Recognition of the striking federations/unions were withdrawn.

The workers faced these attacks with full confidence in their organisation and leaders. They knew there is no other way to defend their rights and justified demands. They saw the most cruel face of the so called ‘democratic government’.

PTTI and many international and foreign trade unions supported the strike and demanded the government to vacate victimisation.   In the Parliament, Nehru government was put on the dock by eminent Members of Parliament like A.K.Gopalan, S.M.Banerjee, Nath Pai and many others, who demanded vacation of all victimisation.

It took more than three years for the vacation of victimisation and re-recognition of the unions and federations. But the scars remained for a long time.

Though crushed, the 1960 strike was not in vain. For that matter, no struggle is in vain. The government was compelled to act against the price rise, appoint two committees one after another on the issue of DA and has to start discussion with the unions on the constitution of negotiating machinery, which later became the Joint Consultative Machinery(JCM).

As a participant of the historic strike, I have my own experience, which I may narrate some time  later.

The 1960 strike has many lessons for the working class. The determination, dedication and sacrifice of the leaders and workers who were part  of the great struggle will ever be remembered.

The Central Govt. employees are once again on the struggle path. The indefinite strike called for from 11th July 2016 against the retrograde recommendations of the VII CPC is deferred at present on the assurance of the government. The workers are waiting for the government decisions. Any failure on the part of the government will result in another great strike.

CG Employees – Strike decision stands despite meeting with Ministers

01 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by in CG Employees, TU News - India, VII CPC

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DON’T BELIEVE IN RUMOURS. NO CHANGE IN THE NJCA DECISION TO GO ON STRIKE FROM 11TH JULY 2016.
NJCA WILL MEET AGAIN AT 11 AM ON 06.07.2016

NJCA
National Joint Council of Action
4, State Entry Road New Delhi – 110055

No. NJCA/2016 Dated: July 1, 2016

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016

DON’T BELIEVE IN RUMOURS. NO CHANGE IN THE NJCA DECISION TO GO ON STRIKE FROM 11TH JULY 2016.
NJCA WILL MEET AGAIN AT 11 AM ON 06.07.2016

NJCA
National Joint Council of Action
4, State Entry Road New Delhi – 110055

No. NJCA/2016 Dated: July 1, 2016

Dear Comrade!

We are to inform you that the NJCA had a discussion with the Government of India yesterday, i.e.30.06.2016 over certain demands contained in our Charter of Demands. In the meeting, following ministers were present: –

Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Home Minster
Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Finance Minister
Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Hon’ble Railway Minister
Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble MoS Railway

On behalf of the NJCA, the following participated in the discussion: –

Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra, Convener NJCA (AIRF)
Shri M. Raghavaiah, Chairman NJCA (NFIR)
Shri K. K. N, Kutty Member NJCA (Confederation)
Shri C. Srikumar, Member NJCA (AIDEF)

The government has proposed to refer the issue of Minimum Wage and Fitment Formula to a Committee for reconsideration.

The NJCA will await communication in the regard from the government.

The NJCA will again meet on 6th July at 11:00 hrs., in JCM Office, 13-C, Feorzshah Road, New Delhi, for taking appropriate decision.

Associated Banks of SBI on strike against unjustified merger

20 Friday May 2016

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The Bank workers of the Associated Banks of SBI ie. State Bank of Travancore, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Patiala and Bharatiya Mahila Bank are on Strike today, 20th May 2016, against the decision of the government to merge these banks with the SBI. The merger will reduce the number of branches of these banks, reduce the number of staff and will result in loss of business. The merger is being done for the benefit of the private banks as part of the neo-liberal policy.

Support the bankmen strike against unjustified merger of associated banks with SBI!