WFTU FISE Vice-President addressed the 106th ILC in Geneva 14.6.2017
16 Jun 2017106th ILC, ILO
Speech of Chrysi Lampoudi, Vice President of the FISE

Dear Colleagues,
We represent here today the FISE which was founded in 1946 and which from then until now is a member of the WFTU. At the same time we are a permanent member of UNESCO in Paris, and we actively participate in all the interesting international Forums that have to do with Education and teachers. We believe that from 1946 until today our organization has dealt with all the major subjects concerning education. Through the struggle of the workers of the past century, we have achieved great progress and many of the problems of teachers were resolved. Illiteracy was contained, and in several countries first level education became mandatory.

Unfortunately in the last decade governments around the world are trying to get back everything with achieved through our struggle. The deep economic crisis of capitalism is being used by the governments as an excuse to dismantle free and public education, to lower the quality of education and take back the rights of teachers and professors.

In many countries we have in progress what we call an “education reform” . In reality it should be called “anti-educational reform” because its real target is to destroy what we have built for decades.

– The central goal of capitalists and monopolies is the privatization of education.
– The quality of education is on a constant drop and the historical truth is being twisted
– Parents and students are being forced to pay for their education, something that the State should be obliged to do.

Teachers are being prosecuted under the slogan of the assessment and with the excuse of the capitalist crisis their wages are reduced. At the same time, the number of teachers is decreasing at all levels.

Against this anti-educational policy ,important trade union struggles have taken place. Teachers in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Chicago, Canada, Greece, France, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Italy , In India, in Algeria, and in many other countries and in every corner of the world,they have organized major strikes. The militant attitude of many teachers’ unions was brutally hit by several governments.

Today, here we have a memorandum of Teachers from Mexico that show the character of the attack against teachers who are fighting for decent work. The federal government is threatening to dismiss thousands of teachers because they do not accept to become slaves in the 21st century.

We mention the example of Mexico because we think it is characteristic and it covers all teachers in all continents. We also ask this multi-party delegation of ILO, along with trade union representatives, of all international trade unions, to visit Mexico soon and demand that the Federal Government immediately stop threats and Terrorism at the expense of teachers and at the expense of Specific educational institutions as it does against the historic University of Mitschakan.

ILO should in practice defend decent work and teachers. Dignity means that it is the right of every child to have public free education, that each teacher has the right to be respected for his/her job, to have proper, modern working conditions and decent wages. We, as FISE, commit ourselves to consistently continue with the World Trade Union Federation and all the trade unions to be on the side of teachers in every corner of the globe. Because the right to education must belong to everyone.

World Federation of Trade Unions

World Environment Dat was celebrated in a big way in Kerala. As per the decision of the LDF Government, it was celebrated by planting trees, saplings, digging rain its, cleaning tanks and rivers etc. School Children, youths, government employees, workers, senior citizens, officers, trade unions – all participated in these programmes organised in lakhs of places in the state. From the Governor and Chief Minister, all the people participated in it, despite the heavy rains. I also had a share, by planting a tree in the GM Office premises, Kozhikode, along with the GM BSNL, which was organised by BSNLEU.

Kerala is making all out efforts, under the leadership of the Pinarayi Government, to restore the natural beauty and surroundings and reducing the carbon emission level to the minimum.  Maximum efforts re also being made to make Kerala a very friendly tourist attraction.

New Delhi, June 1: Centre of Indian Trade Unions strongly condemns the brutal lathicharge , arrest and detention of more than four hundred workers including 35 women of the M/s AISIN Automative Ltd located at Rohatak, Haryana. Besides the workers the leaders of various mass organizations who joined the struggling workers in solidarity were also arrested on 31 may 2017. CITU warns the BJP led Haryana Government that it has to face the united strength of the toiling people if it is trying to repeat ‘Honda’ or’ Maruti’ in Aisin or elsewhere in the state.

Aisin Automative Ltd is a Japanese Automative Company employing nearly 800 workers including women in IMT, Rohtak. The workers took initiative to form trade union and submitted application in the state labour department. But the labour department of the BJP led Government in Haryana rejected the application without showing any reason and almost simultaneously, on 3rd May 2017, the management of AISIN Automotive terminated service of the 20 leading workers including four women without notice and showing any reason. When other workers enmasse protested such autocratic termination of their leaders, rest of the 700 workers were also sent out of the factory, directing them to join work only after giving a written undertaking not to join any union. Whatever happened in Maruti a couple of years ago, same thing has been repeated by the Japanese employer with the support of the Haryana Government as its subordinate.

Since then the workers have been sitting in peaceful dharna before the factory gate in protest. In the scorching heat they are sitting directly under the Sun, which caused hospitalization of many employees, but it could not weaken the fighting spirit. CITU and many mass organisations and trade unions extended support to the workers. Assistant labour Commissioner called for negotiation three times but there was no outcome. On 23 May, a massive rally was held in support of the workers in Rohtak.

On 31 May, while workers were sitting peacefully in dharna before the factory gate, a large police force arrived at the spot and started brutal lathicharge on the workers injuring many. In the face of workers staying there facing the lathicharge, police resorted to mass scale arrests. 425 were arrested including CITU State leader Vinod, Youth leader Sandip and AIDWA leader Asha. They were charged with various section of IPC, produced before the magistrate at midnight and were detained for two weeks.

This is yet another example as to how the BJP Government at Haryana, taking oath in the name of constitution trampled under feet their basic constitutional responsibility and promoted violation of laws of the land in most obedient service of the Japanese multinational; denying registration of the trade union is a serious offence committed by the Government; terminating service of workers only for making effort to form trade union under Trade Union Act and insisting others to give undertaking on not to join trade union is also a grave offence committed by the employer; instead of taking action against the offending employer brutally beating the terminated workers sitting in a peaceful dharna under the scorching sun by Police is also a criminal offence.

CITU condemns these offenders of Indian Constitution –the BJP Government in loyal service of Japanese employers and calls upon trade union movement and workers in general to extend support to the struggle of the AISIN workers and hold solidarity action statewide. The BJP Government-employer nexus holding lives of the common people to ransom must be defeated and struggle must go on.

CITU demands immediate release of all workers and their leaders, unconditional reinstatement of all terminated workers, immediate grant of registration of workers’ union and sorting out of the issues raised by the workers through bilateral talks

The NITI Ayog has recommended strategic sale of Air India, the national carrier, as part of its revival. The so called  justification is that Air India is in loss and that it has a debt of about Rs.  50,000 to Rs.60,000 crore.

The loss is only due to mismanagement  and anti-PSU decisions of government. CBI is looking in to the loss of Rs. 70,000 crore to Air India due unnecessary purchase of about 111 planes during UPA GOvt. Profitable air routes have been transferred to private companies causing huge loss to central government.

Instead of punishing the culprits for the loss, govt is moving to sell the PSU. Oppose and defeat this sinister move and save the PSU.

BSNLEU leaders express solidarity with the striking employees of the Bangalore based Public Sector Enterprises.
BSNLEU leaders expressed solidarity with the employees of the Bangalore based Public Sector Enterprises, who are on struggle against disinvestment, strategic sale and privatisation of the Public Sector. Accompanied by the BSNLEU leaders, viz., com.C.K.Gundanna, CS, com. M.C.Balakrishna, CP and com.Narasimmamurthy, Asst.circle treasurer, com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, veteran leader, addressed the agitating BEML and BEL workers today and expressed solidarity with their struggle.<<<view images>>

(Courtesy: BSNLEU Website)

REIMBURSEMENT OF MEDICAL CLAIMS TO PENSIONERS UNDER CS (MA) RULES, 1944 AS DIRECTED BY VARIOUS CATS/COURTS – REGARDING.

No. 5.14025/23/2013-MS.EHSS

Government of India

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Department of Health and Family Welfare

Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi

Dated the 29 September, 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub:-Reimbursement of medical claims to pensioners under CS (MA) Rules, 1944 as directed by various CATS/Courts – Regarding.

            The undersigned is directed to state that various references are being received in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the above mentioned subject. it is hereby clarified that CS (MA) Rules, 1944 are not applicable to pensioners till date.

2. It is further informed that the following options to avail medical facilities are available to Central Government pensioners:

1. a)         Pensioners residing in CGHS covered areas:

1) They can get themselves registered in CGHS dispensary after making requisite contribution and can avail both OPD and IPD facilities.

2). Pensioners residing in CGHS areas cannot optout of CGHS and avail any other medical facility {i.e. Fixed Medical Allowance). Such pensioners, if they do not choose to avail CGHS facility by depositing the required contributions, cannot be granted Fixed Medical allowance in lieu of CGHS.

1. b) Pensioners residing in non -CGHS areas:

1). They can avail Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) @ Rs.500/- per month

2) They can also avail benefits of CGHS- [OPD and IPD] by registering themselves in the nearest CGHS “city after“making the required subscription.

3) They also have the option to avail FMA, for OPD treatment and CG HS for IPD treatments after making the required subscriptions as per CGHS guidelines.

3. In view. of the above, reimbursement of medical claims to pensioners under CS (MA) Rules, 1944 as directed by various CATS/Courts, need not be referred to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The respective Administrative Department/Ministry may take their own decision in this regard.

4.         further, all Departments/Ministries are requested to intimate their employees proceeding for retirement regarding the above options for medical facilities available to the Central Government pensioners.

5. This issues with the approval of competent authority.

(SUNIL KUMAR GUPTA)

UNDER SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA

The move to privatise the PSU, BEML,  is strongly opposed by workers. Massive protest demonstrations have taken place in Bengaluru, Palakkad, KGF etc.  where its factories are situated.

BEML has been  functioning well and has contributed much to govt. by way of dividend etc. The present move to privatise it is against the interest of the nation.