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Joint Declaration of CPSTU Chennai Convention

05 Saturday Jan 2013

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The Joint Declaration of the CPSTU Convention held at Chennai on 15 December 2012 is reproduced below for information and necessary action (Extracts only): Let us seriously prepare for the Two days Strike on 20-21 February 2013 called by the Central Trade Unions in the National Convention held at Delhi on 4th September 2012. Coms. Animesh Mitra, Dy.GS, Punitha Udhayakumar,Vice-President and K.Govindarajan, CS, Chennai attended the Convention from BSNLEU.

JOINT DECLARATION OF CPSTU WORKERS

Through its Declaration the convention noted that the CPSUs have been contributing to the central exchequer on a big scale with an ever increasing rate. The financial strength of the CPSUs can be judged from the fact that 40-plus CPSUs has a total cash reserve of Rs 2.15 lakh crore. This includes the shares of Coal India (Rs 58,203 crore), ONGC (Rs 27,890 crore), NTPC (Rs 18,092 crore), NMDC (Rs 20,26 crore), HAL (Rs 20,999 crore) and Oil India (Rs 2,766 crore).
It is therefore shocking that apart from launching an onslaught of privatisation, the government is desperately squeezing the excellently run huge profit making PSUs through multiple techniques. Huge amounts of money are being extracted through taxes and dividends. Again, in the background of extreme volatility and fluctuations in the share market, PSUs are compelled to enlist in the share market in order to rescue the shaky stock exchanges from the serious crisis of creditability.

The Declaration further said that, in the face of private investors’ refusal to invest due to continuously aggravating stagnant market, the government has imposed a decision on 17 PSUs that they must effect domestic investments of over Rs 1.4 lakh crore while overseas acquisitions are expected to be of the order of Rs 35,000 crore. Shockingly, the Union Finance Ministry is reported to have said that “if the PSUs do not fall in line, the ministry may ask the PSUs to surrender their cash reserves to the government through big dividends” [Financial Express, September 17, 2012].

The convention also noted with utter shock and anger that while in the fiscal 2012-2013 the budgeted target of disinvestment is Rs 30,000 crore, the government has declared its intention to offload the shares of around 75 CPSUs and already identified 15 such entities for disinvestment of shares worth Rs 33,500 crore. The list includes BHEL, SAIL, RINL, HAL, NALCO, MMTC, NHPC, NTPC, NLC, NMDC, Oil India and EIL. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has already accorded approval for disinvestment of 10 per cent share in NMDC and 9.5 per cent in NTPC, 9.59 per cent in Hindustan Copper, 10 per cent in Oil India, 9.33 per cent in MMTC and 12.15 per cent in NALCO. In the process, the government’s shareholding shall drastically come down to 68.43 per cent in Oil India, 75 per cent each in NTPC and NALCO, and 62.72 per cent in BHEL.

In order to push through its disinvestment programme in a hurry in order to address the increasing fiscal deficit, the government has resorted to various derogatory policy measures. Such steps include the policy of ‘buyback of shares,’ ‘selling through auction route’ and ‘offer for sale.’ These options are, of course, in addition to the IPO and FPO routes.

The joint convention expressed concern over the alarming increase in the number of contract workers and decrease in permanent workers in the CPSUs. The stoppage of recruitment of permanent workers and resort to massive contractisation and casualisation of workforce are issues posing serious challenges to the trade union movement. Compared to around 23 lakhs in the 1980s, the number of regular employees in the CPSUs has gone down to 14.44 lakh in 2010-11. Meanwhile, contract workforce has already attained extraordinary numerical and strategic strength in the PSUs as a whole. Despite their huge contribution in the production, productivity and profitability of the PSUs concerned, these contract workers are the victims of despicable exploitation in regard to the terms and conditions of employment, including wages and benefits, social security and safety. Their wages are atrociously low compared to regular workers doing the jobs of the same and similar nature.

The convention appealed to the public sector workers all over the country to take positive lesson from the totally united, bold and forthright struggles of the workers of Visakha steel plant, NALCO (Odisha) and NMDC against the proposed disinvestment. The convention resolved to stoutly oppose any move of privatisation or disinvestment of PSU shares in any public sector company in the country by launching struggles like the ones mentioned above.

The convention also took note of how lakhs of central government employees in the country staged a massive countrywide strike on December 12, 2012 to demand scrapping of the PFRDA Bill, stop to contractisation, setting up of the seventh Pay Commission and 50 per cent DA merger, among other things.

RESOLVE TO JOIN FEB STRIKE
It was in such a context that the national convention of workers held at New Delhi on September 4, 2012 and organized jointly by all the central trade unions and independent federations of employees and workers gave a call to observe a countrywide two days’ general strike on February 20 and 21, 2013. The strike is meant to press for a 10-point charter of demands concerning all sections of workers and other toiling people.

The December 15 Chennai convention of public sector workers extended full support to this call of a countrywide strike and issued an appeal to all permanent and contract workers in all the CPSUs, irrespective of their trade union affiliations, to join the strike and make it a total success, as a reflection of their total unity as was demonstrated in the convention itself. The convention also urged upon the unions in the PSUs to submit joint strike notices and conduct joint massive campaigns as well as programmes of agitation and propaganda to mobilise the workers for taking part in the strike on February 20 and 21, 2013.

CG EMPLOYEES CALLS FOR STRIKE ON 12TH DEC 2012

05 Wednesday Dec 2012

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Lakhs of Central Government employees will go on one day  strike on 12th December 2012 demanding new Wage Revision w.e.f. 01-01-2011 and other major demands. The main demands are given in brief below:

  1. Revise wages of CG employees and GDS w.e.f. 01-01-2011.
  2. Merge DA with pay w.e.f. 01-01-2011
  3. Remove discrimination in Compassionate Ground Appointments
  4. Departmentalise Gramin Dak Sewaks ( ED employees) and grant all benefits of regular employees
  5. Revive functioning of JCM
  6. Fill up vacant posts and create new posts
  7. Stop downsizing, outsourcing, contractorisation, corporatisation and privatisation
  8. Stop price-rise; Strengthen PDS
  9. Introduce PLB in all departments and remove ceiling
  10. Revise OTA, Night Duty Allowance and uniform rates.
  11. Implement all arbitration awards
  12. Make the right to strike legal and fundamental right
  13. Grant five promotions to all employees
  14. Withdraw PFRDA bill and ensure statutory pension to all
  15. Vacate all victimisation

The central government employees unions including NFPE have already issued the notice. Serious propaganda has started and leaders are on tour all over India to make the strike a great success. More or less the demands are the demands of workers  in all sectors. The demands are fully justified. We fully support the demands and give solidarity to the struggle of the Central Govt. employees.

International Action Day observed

04 Thursday Oct 2012

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The trade unions and also Federations of CGE, PSUs, State Government employees and others observed the International Action Day on 3rd October 2012 as per the call of the World federation of trade Unions(WFTU).  This time the Action Day was organised on the five basic demands of the people and the working-class: Food, Water, Medicine, Books and Housing.

In Delhi the central Trade Unions viz. AITUC, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU and UTUC  jointly organised the demonstration at Jantar Mantar premises which was addressed by the Central leaders.  The demands will be focussed in the entire year and action programmes organised.

 

3rd October – International Action Day – Call by WFTU

03 Wednesday Oct 2012

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3rd October every year is being organised as the “International Action Day” as per the call of the World federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). The WFTU was formed on 3rd October 1945 immediately after the end of II World War.

This year, the main slogans of the “International Action Day” are that the working people all over the world should be ensured the necessities and facilities essential for a living like  Food, Water, Health, Education and Housing  are provided. In fact, these are not the demands of the workers alone, but the crores of common people all over the world.

Rallies, Meetings, Demonstrations and other programmes of action on these demands are to be organised today at all centres to highlight the genuine demands of the people and make pressure upon the government and the ruling classes to concede the demands.

BSNLEU has also given call to organise the day in all centres in a very effective manner. The details of the demands etc. have already been posted in this website as also BSNLEU website earlier. The All India Conference of BSNLEU at Ludhiana last week has also passed a resolution calling upon the workers to observe the day successfully.

Long Live WFTU!  Continue struggles to achieve the demands!

Observe WFTU Day on 3rd October with mass participation

30 Sunday Sep 2012

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World federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was formed on 3rd October 1945, immediately after the conclusion of the II World War. It was an important step in the consolidation of the work force all over the world. The workers were able to achieve many during the post-war period and WFTU was in the forefront of the struggles of the world working class.

After the collapse of the USSR, some organisations left it and WFTU became comparatively weak. But after the Havana Conference in 2008 and the Greece Conference in 2010, many organisations rejoined WFTU and the old glory was brought back.

WFTU as usual has called for observing its birthday, 3rd October this year also. The theme for this year is International Action Day on Food, Water, Medicine, Books and Housing. It is the right of every human being to get these essential things for his growth and development. But in the present situation, these are denied to a large section of the people, the workers, all over the world. WFTU calls upon all to fight for these rights to whom they have been denied.

BSNL Employees Union in it’s All India Conference at Ludhiana has called upon all the BSNL workers to observe the International Action Day on 3rd October 2012 in an effective way participating in the rallies, demonstrations, meetings and other activities being organised on that day.

WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!

 

Strike against ‘Austerity Measures’ in Greece

29 Saturday Sep 2012

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Hundreds of thousands participated in demonstrations in Greece on Wednesday to protest against the latest package of austerity measures introduced by the coalition government led by the head of the conservative New Democracy party, Antonis Samaras. The demonstrations were the first major mobilisations since Samaras became prime minister three months ago. Millions of workers also responded to the call for a 24-hour general strike by the country’s two main trade union federations, representing workers in both the private and public sectors—the General Confederation of Employees of Greece (GSEE) and the Civil Servants’ Confederation (ADEDY). Transport and public services, including schools, universities and hospitals, came to a halt in many parts of the country. Many flights were cancelled and ferry services were severely disrupted. Staff at the tax, customs and finance ministries declared they would continue their strike until Friday. Earlier this week, Greek police, fire-fighters, doctors and coast guard officers carried out strike actions. The size and impact of the strike and protests testified to growing opposition in the working class to the drive by the European and Greek bourgeoisie to reduce workers to penury in order to bail out the banks and finance houses with trillions of euros of public funds. Previous austerity packages have already plunged the Greek economy into a depression, bringing the jobless rate to 25 percent and throwing 30 percent of the population into poverty. The government estimates that the economy will contract another 25 percent by 2014. The past week has also seen mass protests in Portugal and Spain, where austerity measures demanded by the “troika” (the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank) are threatening a similar social catastrophe. The biggest demonstration took place in Athens, where some 70,000 people marched through the centre of the city chanting: “We won’t submit to the troika!” and “EU, IMF out!” A number of placards on the demonstrations expressed solidarity with the protests in Spain and Portugal. The state had prepared for the demonstrations in Athens by stationing 5,000 police and special forces in the city centre and erecting new bullet-proof barriers around the national parliament. When a section of the demonstration tried to break through police cordons, the police responded by firing tear gas at the crowds. Dozens of protesters were also arrested by riot police when crowds moved towards the capital’s other central square, Omonia, where the Communist Party-affiliated All Workers Militant Front (PAME) held its own separate rally. Prominent on the demonstrations were large delegations from Greece’s public services, civil servants, doctors and teachers. They were joined by large numbers of pensioners, students and youth. Greek university and technical college professors held their own demonstration to protest against further cuts to the country’s education budget. They rallied in front of the Finance and Development ministries in Syntagma Square before marching to the main building of the University of Athens. All of these sections of workers and youth have been hit with unprecedented attacks on their living standards by successive Greek governments, social democratic as well as conservative, in the past four years. Now they have been targeted again in the latest austerity package, designed to slash €11.5 billion ($14.87 billion) from the national budget. The cuts are due to be agreed by the Greek parliament on Thursday. The new package of austerity measures includes: * further huge reductions in wages and pensions; * an increase in taxes and the abolition of tax exemptions for the socially needy; * an increase in the retirement age from 65 to 67; * changes in labour laws to establish more flexible working hours and make it easier for employers to lay off workers; * the reduction or elimination of special social and welfare benefits for pensioners, the disabled and large families; * the shutdown or merger of hundreds of public entities (including hospitals, schools and kindergartens); * the elimination of 150,000 public-sector jobs by 2015; * drastic cuts in funding for education and health care. Despite the fact that previous governments have ignored all the demands raised by protesters in more than a dozen such strikes and days of action organised by the trade unions over the past three years, trade union officials sought to encourage illusions that it would be possible to pressure the Samaras regime to change course. Ilias Iliopoulos of the civil servants’ federation ADEDY declared that the demonstrations were “a warning to the government not to pass the measures.” In one more hollow threat from the unions, he said, “The government must know that if it wants to push us further into a corner, we will react.” This, however, was thrown out as part of a plea with the government to negotiate with the unions over the terms of the cuts. Outside the Finance Ministry, the unions similarly begged to be consulted in formulating the cuts. The unions had addressed a servile letter to Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras and Development Minister Costis Hadjidakis calling for a meeting to discuss the cuts to professors’ salaries and university and technical college budgets, which “are making the smooth operation of institutions of higher education and research problematic if not impossible.” In the letter, the union representatives asked to be included in “the mobilization of all the economic, productive, scientific, social and intellectual forces of this country” to “overcome one of the biggest crises in the country’s recent history.” Recent polls show popular support for SYRIZA matching that for the ruling New Democracy. Tsipras has been holding meetings with leading European officials, including the head of the European Union task force for Greece, Horst Reichenbach.

COASTU Rejoins WFTU – A memorable event

20 Thursday Sep 2012

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World Federation of Trade Unions(WFTU)is the strong and militant world organisation uniting a large number of trade unions in the world. The left TUs like CITU, AITUC are all affiliates of WFTU. Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the militant and strong organisation of the workers of South Africa had discontinued its affiliation for some period.Now in the latest Conference of the COSATU held at Johannasburg from 17-20 September 2012, it had decided again to affiliate with WFTU. A great advancement for both COSATU and WFTU and world working class. My Congratulations!

Protest against austerity measures in Portugal

17 Monday Sep 2012

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More than one lakh people participated in the demonstrations in Portugal protesting against the austerity measures being implemented by the government. Massive protest demonstrations took place in Lisbon, the capital city and Porto, the next big city along with in other cities. They demanded withdrawal of the austerity measures and demanded restoration of social security measures. The crisis in European countries are continuing.

Mighty Protests by Spanish people and workers.

20 Friday Jul 2012

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MADRID : Tens of thousands of angry Spaniards protested in 80 cities throughout Spain on Thursday against the government’s latest austerity package, blaming officials for “ruining” the country.
Protesters flooded Madrid’s main Puerta del Sol square and the streets in front of parliament late into the night. Large deployments of riot police manned barricades in front of the legislature, fearing rising tensions could lead to violence.
Large crowds also gathered in Barcelona and Bilbao, while leading Spanish newspaper El Pais estimated on its website that more than 100,000 had attended the rally in the capital.
Marchers in Madrid carried Spanish flags bearing black bows for mourning and banners saying, “No to the cuts” and “You have ruined us.”
The country is in its second recession in three years and its government borrowing rates are unsustainably high as investors worry the government may face new costs in rescuing the banks. If the government’s borrowing rates do not fall back down, it may eventually need a sovereign bailout like those taken by Greece, Ireland and Portugal ( Courtsey: Ganashakti)

20,000 demonstrates in Germany against capitalism

21 Monday May 2012

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Some 20,000 activists took part in a major rally of the local Occupy movement in Frankfurt on Saturday, German police said. Protesters peacefully filled the city center of continental Europe’s biggest financial hub in their protest against the dominance of banks and what they perceive to be untamed capitalism, Frankfurt police spokesman Ruediger Regis said. Police revised the initial turnout estimate of 10,000 quickly upward to 20,000 as protesters jammed Frankfurt’s downtown business district on what was a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. A spokesman for the organizers, Roland Suess, said turnout has already reached 25,000. Organizers had told authorities that they expect between 10,000 and 40,000 participants. The protest group calling itself Blockupy has called for blocking the access to the European Central Bank, which is located in Frankfurt’s business district. Last year, thousands in Germany took to the streets in rallies during the worldwide Occupy movement. But as Germany’s economy is proving to be robust and unemployment at a record-low those protests have mostly fizzled out. But Europe’s lingering debt crisis has given new fuel to some protests, even though Germany Europe’s biggest economy suffers none of the austerity measures now heavily affecting some southern European nations such as Greece, Portugal and Spain