WFTU solidarity statement with the farmers in India

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24 May 2017ASIA, INDIA
Violent repression of the farmers demonstration was held on 22th May in Kolkata, eastern India. The result of the barbaric attack of the forces of repression is 900 injured protesters including 100 seriously injured who are in critical condition.

The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing 92 million workers in the 5 continents, expresses its firm solidarity with the protesters and strongly condemns the repression incidents, which frequently occur especially in the Kolkata area.

The WFTU supports the fair demands of the protesters for the improvement of their working and living conditions.

CPI(M) statement on ban on sale of cattle

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New Delhi, May 27: The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The notification of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change that bans sale of cattle for slaughter is an atrocious attempt by the Modi government to give legal cover for its wholly communal and divisive agenda to impose a diet code on the country.

It will destroy the livelihood of crores of farmers involved in animal husbandry, eliminate traditional cattle fairs, put an unfair burden on farmers to care for useless cattle. This further burdens the farmers who are increasingly resorting to distress suicides due to escalating input costs. It will also impact on the leather industry and the meat export industry affecting the livelihood of lakhs of people.

The notification is also an encroachment on the rights of the states under whose jurisdiction such issues fall.

The CPI(M) strongly condemns and opposes the notification and demands its withdrawal.
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One more attack on the workers – Govt. proposes reduction in EPF Contribution of employers

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The Labour Ministry has directed the EPFO to take necessary action to reduce the employers’ contribution to the EPF from 12% to 10%. The directive is only to favour the employers. In fact, what the EPFO suggested to government was to reduce the employees’contribution from 12% to 10% and keep the 12% as it is for employer. But the government wanted to favour employers by reducing their contribution. Realising that there will be a backlash from the people, the media and the workers, government has now directed that both the contribution should be reduced to !0%. What this means is that the EPF contribution will be reduced by 4% which will be a big loss to the workers.

CITU and other Central trade Unions have condemned this anti-worker move of the Government. The government should be compelled to back-tract from this anti-labour decision.

Strong Protest against BEML privatisation.

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.

 

Restructure the NITI Ayog – BMS

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NITI Ayog, the institution constituted replacing Planning Commission, is on the path of dismantling almost every time tested organisations, especially Public Sector. Trade Unions, political parties and others have been strongly protesting against such actions.

Now, BMS, the trade union connected with BJP itself, has attacked the NITI Ayog for its anti-worker decisions. BMS All India Conference, which was recently held, had demanded that the NITI Ayog be entirely restructured.

New Attack on Ordnance Factories

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The 41 Ordnance Factories in the country which has been manufacturing equipments for the defence are are in danger of closing down or privatisation. The first step in to bring private participation. The private companies have been clamouring for permission to enter in to the much profitable defence market. Lakhs of crores of rupees are spent every year for defence production and purchases.

The government has issued directive to the army to 87 items for its use from the private companies. It has called for the details of the items of the defence productions and also the land owned by it. The meaning is clear. It wants to hand over a good portion of the defence production and land to the corporates and private business.

The security concerns are being ignored. Workers interests as well as that of the country are given a go-bye. Yes, every day, it is being made clear that this is a government of the Corporates. Completion of three years by Modi is being celebrated by attacking the Defence Ordnance Factories.

Three Years of Narendra modi Government.

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Three years are going to be completed after Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister. It is certain that there will be a lot of advertisements and publicity about the achievements of the past three years.
But what is the reality. Unemployment has increased. 2 crore jobs were assured yearly, but not even 3 lakhs new job has come as per reports. Demonetisation has not unearthed any mentionable black money, but people have been made to suffer for months together. There has been no growth as assured. Freedom of expression is being attacked. Sangh Parivar decides what to eat and what to wear. Secularism is being attacked and communal tension growing. Labour laws are being changed to suit the employers and corporates. While corporates are granted subsidy and benefits to the tune of crore of lakhs af crores of rupees, subsidies to the poor are curtailed one after another. No action is being taken to curb the price rise. In fact, the government allows the oil companies to increase the price of oil, even when he same is coming down internationally. There are a lot still to mention.
What the Modi government is going to do about all these?

Organise Dharna of 25th May 2017 – Call by AIBDPA on Pension issues.

All the CHQ Office bearers, circle Secretaries and District Secretaries of AIBDPA are requested to effectively intervene for maximum mobilisation of Pensioners so that the Mass DHARNA at SSA level on 25th May, 2017 is made a historical success.

After serving the notice for the agitational programme as per the decision of the Mysuru CEC to both Secretary, DOT and CMD, BSNL and successful conduct of the Call Attention Day on 20-04-2017, we could achieve the following three demands.

(1). Gratuity ceiling of Rs.20 lakh is extended to the BSNL Pensioners.

(2). Quarterly medical allowance restored partially to BSNL Pensioners.

(3). Free night call facility extended to BSNL Pensioners.

But more important issues like pension revision from 01-01-2017 are to be settled. So stronger struggles are warranted for pay revision and Pension revision.In this context, successful conduct of the Mass DHARNA on 25-05-2017 is quite imperative.

SO LET US MAKE IT A GRAND SUCCESS.

LET US MARCH FORWARD IN THE PATH OF STRUGGLE TO ACHIEVE THE GENUINE DEMANDS.

200 year Birth Anniversary of Karl Marx, 150 years of publication of ‘CAPITAL’

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May 5th, 2017 was the 199th Birth Anniversary of Karl Marx, the greatest  philosopher the world has ever seen, who analysed capitalism in all its aspects and published the historical book “Capital” in 1867. 150 years have passed since.

200 year Birth Anniversary of Karl Marx and the 150th year of publication of ‘Capital’ is being observed all over the world.This period is being utilised to study Marxism, publish Marxist Literature, debate about the impact of Marxism in the present world etc.

After the collapse of the USSR, the advocates of the imperialism and capitalism gleefully  shouted from the roof-tops that socialism is dead  for ever. But the economic crisis in the 2007-08 had compelled them to rethink. One noted capitalist economist said later: “Karl Marx got it right, at some point capitalism can destroy itself. We thought markets worked. They are not working.”

Karl Marx pointed out in the “Communist Manifesto”: “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles”. The class struggle continues at each and every stage.

Steel Workers’ Strike Against Strategic Sale

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The workers of the three units of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) at Durgapur (W.Bengal), Salem (T.Nadu) and Bhadrawati (karnataka), went on strike on 11th April 2017 against the decision f the central government for the strategic sale of these units. SAIL is in the process of appointing Advisors , investment bankers, financial institutions etc. for the sale. The strike was jointly called by all the unions including CITU, AITUC, INTUC and HMS.

This sale of the asset of the nation is being implemented as part of the ‘privatisation policy of the government’. National assets are gifted to the corporates.

We fully support the struggle and extend our solidarity!