Not surprisingly, the Prime Minister has urged for liberalisation of the existing labour laws, to help the big corporates and capitalists.

Inaugurating the 43rd Indian Labour Conference at New Delhi on  23rd November 2010, the Prime Minister focussed on the rigidity of the labour laws and wanted reforms, which means that  the laws are to be reformed to suit the requirements of the employer.

All the Central TUs including INTUC has criticised the contents of the   speech.

As per reports, the Department of Public Enterprises is proposing to lay off non-performing staff to the extent of 10% yearly. The II Pay Revision Committee for executives in PSUs had also recommended that 10% of executives be laid off who are of poor and non-performing categories. Sam Pitroda Committee had recommended that one lakh employees be retrenched through VRS/Transfer in BSNL.

It is clear that the government and the managements are in a conspiracy to reduce the number of employees to suit to the wishes of the employers. The employers want to increase the working hours as also to reduce the number of regular workers and engage contract workers instead whom they can exploit more. The Prime Minister had stated yesterday in the Indian Labour Conference that Labour Laws should be liberalised meaning that the existing rights of the workers is to be reduced.

The Central Trade Unions and all Federations/Associations have to continue their struggles against these attacks on the working class

Many Central Ministers have considerably increased their assets in the one year from 2009 to 2010. This is according to the response received for an RTI enquiry. The Times of India has published the details according to which the assets of Praful Patel increased from 30.70 to 38.43 crores and that of Jyotiraditya Scindia from 22.73 to 24.01 crores. A. Raja increased  his assets from 1.05 to 1.85 crore. This is in a country where 75% of the people are getting less than Rs.20.00 a day for their subsistence.

National Federation of P&T Employees (NFPTE), the mighty organisation of the P&T Workers was formed on 24th November 1954 amalgamating all the existing unions in the sector. The NFPTE with its 9 affiliated unions became the nerve centre of the Central Government Employees Movement. It was in  the forefront of the 1960,1968 and other strikes and struggles of the CG Employees.

NFPTE was bifurcated in to NFTE and NFPE after the P&T Department was bifurcated in 1985. After formation of BSNL in 2000 BSNLEU was formed by the progressive section of workers. It is now the biggest union in BSNL. It is the only union which inherited the tradition of original NFPTE and followed the footsteps of the pioneers of the movement, Tarapada Mukherjee, Henry Barton, Dada Ghosh, K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, Adinarayana and others.

Let us March ahead for a better tomorrow! Workers of the World Unite!

The SBI staff strike called for 25th & 26th November for implementation of wage agreement has been called off after  the government agreed to implement the wage agreement already reached. This will benefit 1.70 lakh employees with effect from 01-11-2007.  Congratulations to the SBI workers for their success.

Meeting of the Joint Action Committee of BSNL Unions & Associations held on 22nd November has called upon the entire three lakh executive and Non-Executive employees to organise a mighty three days strike from 1st to 3rd December to defend BSNL and for ensuring their most important demands. Mighty propaganda should be unleashed amongst the workers and the common people.  Massive demonstrations in front of  thousands of BSNL offices/exchanges will be organised  on 29th November in preparation for the 3 days strike.