With great sorrow it is informed that Com.Sukumar Mitra, founder member Calcutta Thika Mazdoor Union, passed away on 23rd August 2016. (We got information today only.). He was one of the leaders of the Casual Contract Workers movement and contributed a lot. He served our workers since the DOT era as being the leader of Line Staff Gr. D union.We convey our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and comrades.

Com. V.A.N.Nambodiri President and Com. Animesh Mitra, Secretary General BSNLCCWF to day, 6th September 2016, met Shri P.K.Saxena, Additional Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), New Delhi at Shram Shakti Bhawan and discussed about the major issues of the casual and contract workers, like Regularisation of Casual Labour, Implementation of Minimum wage, EPF, ESI etc., Gratuity to the casual contract workers, Retrenchment of contract labour etc. A detailed Memorandum on these issues was presented to the Additional. CLC.

The Addl. CLC told that directions will be given to the Dy. Chief Labour Commissioners(Central)  in the states to take necessary steps to get the government orders implemented when any such complaints are received. He also stated that  the information of those workers who got retired/died without getting gratuity be intimated to the CLC so that immediate action can be taken to get the gratuity paid urgently. He also wanted the details of the circles in detail where minimum wage, EPF, ESI are not implemented. The union leaders agreed to give the same and requested for early action.

Delhi people are not in the habit of using umbrellas. They will happily walk and enjoy during rains. During my more than two  decades stay in Delhi, I also did not use umbrella.
Situation is changing. During the past few days, I am seeing many people using umbrellas during rains. It is probably because of the heavy rains instead of the light rains/drizzling.
Climate change will change the age old habit of the people.

Life Insurance Corporation of India(LIC) completes 60 years of fruitful service to the nation. Formed on 1st September 1956, nationalizing the existing private Company, LIC has given excellent service to the people. It is one of the best PSUs in the country. 99.75% of claims are settled in 2015-16. With more than 29 crore policies, it is one of the biggest insurer in the world.
The contribution of the workers and their Union, All India Insurance Employees Association in this respect is commendable.
My Hearty Congratulations to LIC and AIIEA on the 60 th anniversary!

New Delhi, Aug 31 Accusing the government of “misleading” workers, unions today said the central advisory board did not discuss any proposal of hiking minimum wage to Rs 350 per day as announced by the government yesterday and the meeting on Monday was inconclusive.
“There was no proposal to hike minimum wage to Rs 350 per day. The meeting of the Central Advisory Board held on Monday remained inconclusive,” All India Trade Union Congress Secretary D L Sachdev told PTI.
“During the meeting, the employees’ unions had demanded a minimum monthly wage of Rs 18,000 and asked the government to amend the Minimum Wage Act to make a provision for universal
wage.”
At present, the minimum wage fixed by the Centre is not universally applicable as labour is on the concurrent list of the Constitution. Thus, states can fix either higher or lower rate of minimum wage fixed by the Centre.
The Board is an advisory body with representative of employees and other stakeholders, which recommends the rate of minimum wage and matters related to it to the government.
Yesterday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who heads an informal ministerial group on labour issues, made several announcements, including a hike in minimum wage for non-farm workers by 42 per cent to Rs 350 for unskilled non-farm workers of the central government.
In a letter addressed to Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) General Secretary Tapen Sen said, “You have stated that based on deliberations in the meeting of the Minimum Wage Advisory Board held on August 29, 2016, the government has decided to
fix minimum wages for the central sphere at Rs 350 per day.”
“… in the press conference addressed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on August 30, 2016, where you were also present, Jaitley stated on camera that the government has accepted the
recommendation of the Minimum Wage Advisory Board regarding minimum wage. I would like to state that both the statements are not factually correct.”
The letter stated that the fact is the meeting of the advisory board held on August 29, 2016… remained inconclusive and all the workers’ representatives said in one voice that their proposal on minimum (monthly) wage of Rs 18,000 is based on modalities of fixing minimum wage decided
by the Indian Labour Conference.
“Your concrete offer for Rs 350 as minimum wage in the central sphere has not even surfaced in the meeting even from the government’s side. It is strange and unfortunate that such untrue incident is being affirmed as fact…,” Sen said in the letter.
He called for a rejoinder on the matter in the “interest of fairness and propriety”.
Sen wrote further, “The issue of giving social security benefit to the unorganised sector (anganwadi, mid-day meal, ASHA volunteers) was agreed to more than a year ago and
reiterated in the meeting of August 26-27, 2015, and hence talking about constituting a committee to examine the same does not match with your assertion of high priority.”
He maintained that as for 25 tripartite consultative meetings, the views of the workers’ representatives were totally ignored.
“Even then your latest executive order of allowing fixed-term employment and enhancement of overtime hours in the apparel/garment manufacturing sector has not been discussed and agreed to in any tripartite forum which may kindly be taken note of,” he wrote in the letter.

Com.V.V.Dakshinamoorthy, veteran CPI(M) leader and former editor of “Deshabhimani” passed away today at Kozhikode Co-Operative Hospital today, 31st August 2016. He was 82 and suffering from cancer for some time and was under treatment.

Com.Dakshinamoorthy was a close friend of mine. He was always calm and friendly with people. Though a senior leader he was very simple in his dealing with all.

His death is an irreparable loss to the working class and the common people.

My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends and comrades!

The Central Trade Unions have severely criticised the Government for not accepting the fully justified demands raised by the unions and called upon the workers to make the 2nd September Strike a fully massive one. No major issue has been settled, as claimed by the government.

Only one day is left for the strike. Ensure maximum participation in the strike and give a strong warning to the government!