BCPC Meeting to be held on 16th April 2016

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A meeting of the Bharat Central Pensioners Confederation (BCPC) will be held at New Delhi on 16th April 2016 to discuss about various items, including the issues of pensioners included in the recommendations of the VII Central Pay Commission. AIBDPA representatives will participate in the meeting.

Manual Scavenging – Stop this Shame on the Nation

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Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA) organised a demonstration in Jantar Mantar, with hundreds of manual scavengers from various parts of the country protesting against manual scavenging and demanding putting an end to it. They raised the slogan “Stop Killing Us” , citing thousands of incidents, where the scavenging workers have dies in septic tanks. (courtesy: Times of India)

Manual scavenging is a shame on India. Though Parliament has enacted law in 2003 prohibiting manual scavenging, this heinous and demeaning practice continues unabated. The system continues due to non-enforcement of law by the governments and also due to the apathy of the society in this respect.

This shame on the nation and the people of this country has to be stopped forthwith. This can be one good thing that can be done, when the entire nation is observing Ambedkar Jayanti, These workers be given alternate jobs for their living.

Connaught Place – Rajiv Chowk, Gurgaon – Gurugram

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Haryana Government has decided to change the name of Gurgaon to Gurugram. It will become  full decision  after the Central Government approves the name.

The reason for the change  mentioned is that it is the place where Dronacharya taught Kauravas and Pandavas and that this village was gifted to him. Hence Gurugram. The paper reports indicate strong opposition to the move. They want the millennium city to continue with its brand name Gurgaon. Opposition seems to be very strong.

It has been pointed out that according to the Mahabharata,  Dronacharya refused to teach Ekalavya on the ground that he was a dalit and demanded chopping of his finger, when he found out that Ekalavya was learning archery chanting Guru’s name.

Congress government changed the famous Connaught Place to Rajiv Chowk. But the people still use the name Connaught Place and not Rajiv Chowk. Will Gurgaon will continue Gurgaon, despite the name change to Gurugram? Most probably so.

Change of Calcutta to Kolkata, Bombay to Mumbai and Madras to Chennai was on the persistent demand of the people and they have taken the name to change to their hearts. But ‘Gurgaon’ to ‘Gurugram’ seems to be lacking the support of the people.

WFTU’s May Day Greetings!

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May Day

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)  on the occasion of the International Workers’ Day – May 1, 2016 expresses its militant greetings to all men and women of the working class and its 92 million members in over 120 countries.
Women and men, young and old, employed or unemployed, immigrants and refugees: the WFTU wish them the strength, determination and courage in their small and large struggles.
Transnational corporations, governments reactionary forces, neo-fascist and racist, imperialist structures dread this day. Because it is a symbol of internationalism, symbol of the struggle, a symbol of class unity. They are our indispensable in our struggles for a better life, stronger tools against poverty and wars generated by capitalist barbarity.
Building on the strong, classist, mass, democratic, militant grassroots unions, we give strength to the WFTU.
And strengthening of the WFTU as class organization with roots at the base, internationalist and solidarity, we are strengthening our unions.
In all countries of the world with all kinds of actions, we demand the satisfaction of current needs, our employment, labor and social rights.
Our reality of poverty, unemployment, poverty and war, in contrast to the technological and scientific progress and wealth we produce, show how unrealistic rotten is the model of capitalist production.
We join forces and build our social alliance with the popular sectors against exploitation and capitalist barbarism.
On the occasion of the first of May 2016, we reiterate our internationalist solidarity with the people of Palestine, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and all peoples who suffer imperialist attacks and fighting for their right to decide for themselves on their present and future.
This year, 2016, the representatives XVII World Congress of Trade Unions will add class trade union movement, in the heroic land of South Africa. October 5 to 8, 2016, thousands of delegates, trade unionists real fighters from all continents will gather in Durban, they analyze the global and regional situation and resolve on the strategy and the WFTU Action Plan for next 5 years.
With this Congress, we take an essential step for the world-class labor movement. “Go ahead” for meeting the current needs of the working class, poverty and unemployment caused by capitalist barbarity.

WFTU Secretariat

RBI’s stand that defaulters’ list is not available is unacceptable

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To an RTI enquiry, the Reserve Bank of India is stated to have replied that it has no list of wilful defaulters of bank loans! This is surprising and shocking. Another report states that the RBI is not willing to disclose the names of the defaulters and even the default amounts.

This position is completely unacceptable. It seems that the above decision is influenced by the policy of the government supporting the big business and corporates, the involvement of VVIPs in granting loans without sufficient security and also involvement of the top Bank Management.

Strong protests should come and compel the RBI to change its stand. The wilful defaulters should be exposed and the due amounts paid back.

French Workers oppose proposed anti-labour laws

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The reform proposals of the French Government, curtailing the rights of the workers are being strongly opposed by the unions. The young people are also opposing since it will reduce employment opportunities.

In almost all European countries, the governments are on the move to reduce the wages, pension etc. and also to curtail the trade union rights.

40,000 workers on Strike in Communication company Verizon in US

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40,000 workers engaged in US Communications (Wireline ) company, Verizon, is on strike on issue of renewing contracts and connected matters. Verizon is one of the largest Communications company is US. Though the contract has been ended in last August, the company has not renewed the contract and wage increase has not been decided. It is on these issues that the two unions, Communications Workers of US and International Brotherhood of Electric Workers have gone on strike.

We express solidarity and support to the strike of the Verizon workers!

Jallianwal Bagh Massacre – We remember the Martyrs!

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Jallianwala_Bagh

It was 97 years back on 13th April 1919,  that hundreds of people were massacred in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, who had assembled there for a meeting. It was British General Dyer, who ordered shooting of the innocent people. It was a brutal dark chapter of the British rule in India. The massacre shocked the entire world.  The sacrifice did not go in vain.  The Independence movement became stronger and the British had to leave India by 15th August 1947.

A Martyrs Column is erected at Jallianwala Bagh in memory of those dead. Every year memorials are held there. A few years back, I got the opportunity to be present in such a memorial.

We remember the martyrs in this day and pay our respectful homage to all of them!

Vacate victimisation and cancel unjustified transfers of IDBI employees

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The IDBI Management has issued victimisation transfers to many of its employees for participation in the recent strike against privatisation of IDBI. This is unwarranted since the workers have got a right to bargain and struggle on their justified demands.

We demand that victimisation and transfer of the IDBI employees be immediately cancelled.

EPFO’s creditable settlements

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Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has stated that it had settled 118 lakh claims of retirees in 2015-16. 96% of these claims are settled within 20 days. It is a good performance.

Whether any private companies can claim such a great performance?