CITU Completes 44 years of Struggles in the service of the working Class.

30 Friday May 2014

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Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) is completing 44 years of yeomen service to the cause of the toiling masses and the working class. It was formed on 30th May 1970 at the All India Trade union Conference held at Calcutta. Com. Jyoti Basu was the Chairman of the Reception Committee.

The All India Trade union Conference held at Calcutta from 28-30 May 1970 as per the decision of the Goa Convention held on 9-10 April 1970 was participated by AITUC General and State Committee members who were opposing the reformist and revisionist leadership of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). The Conference was attended by 4264 delegates representing 1759 unions having a total membership of 8,04,637 members. There were 116 delegates and 1134 observers sent by fraternal unions, making the total delegates to 5514.

The Conference discussed the various issues facing the working class, the need for a new organisation in view of the compromising and revisionist leadership of the AITUC and also the requirement of the present situation to have a new and militant organisation which can fight against the anti-working class policies of the ruling class and the government.

Com. P.Ramamurti presented a detailed report and spoke briefly on the important points on the formation of the new organisation. Many delegates participated in the discussions.

Com. B.T.Ranadive, who presided over the Conference, summed up the discussions and decisions of the Conference, heralding the new organisation of the workers, CITU.In fact, the speech could be termed as the Declaration of the Conference and the Manifesto of the Organisation.

The office-bearers and General Council Members of the new union, CITU, was unanimously elected with Com. B.T.Ranadive as President and Com. P.Ramamurti as General Secretary.

44 years are over after CITU has been formed. Many of the leaders who took the lead for the formation like Coms. BTR, P.Ramamurti, Jyoti Basu, E.Balanandan, M.K.Pandhe, Samar Mukherjee,R.Umanath Chittabrata Mazumdar are not with us. But the spirit and aim on which the CITU was formed continues. Many new leaders have come up to take the reign of the organisation. The present President is Com. A.K.Padmanabhan and General Secretary Com. Tapan Sen.

During the last 44 years of its fruitful existence, CITU had led many struggles for the improvement of wages, working conditions and social security of the working class. It has been able to negotiate with the managements and government effectively. It has made all efforts to unify the working class in their struggles with the motto ” Unity for Struggles and Struggles for Unity”. It has been in the forefront in the formation of the united platforms of the trade unions like United Council of Trade Unions (UCTU), Platform of Mass Organisations, National Campaign Committee etc. the latest of which is the Co-ordination Committee of all the 11 Central Trade Unions, including the INTUC and the BMS, the trade unions connected with the ruling class parties, Congress and BJP. They have taken not only the issue of the working class, but also the issue of the entire people like price-rise, pension to all etc.

CITU has also taken initiative to bring united action with the working class and the kisans who forms the major portion of the toiling masses. Without this unity, it will be difficult to fight and defeat the anti-people, anti-working class policies.

CITU has also guided and supported the Central / State Government Employees Organisations and other Independent Federations / Unions in their struggles for better working conditions, wages etc.

CITU has taken initiative for the unity of the world working class. It has got a prominent role in reviving the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), which was weakened after the collapse of the USSR and other socialist countries. CITU recognises that the fight against capitalism has to be fought worldwide, for which the unity of the world working is a must.

During these 44 years, the membership of CITU has increased from 8 lakhs to more than 60 lakhs, a credit to its struggles for the working class.

Revolutionary Greetings on this 44th Anniversary of the CITU!

Forum Submits Memorandum to Communications Minister

29 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News

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The Forum of BSNL Unions has submitted a Memorandum to Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Communications Minister on the need for revival of BSNL and the role the government has to take in the matter including honouring the assurances given by the NDA government when BSNL was formed in 2000. The Memorandum is signed by the Unions/ Associations in BSNL. The Forum has also requested for a meeting to present the issues in person. The full Text of the Memorandum will be placed in the websites of the unions/associations.

Modi Government – A govt. of Crorepatis

29 Thursday May 2014

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40 of the 44 Ministers (91%) in the Modi Government are crorepatis. The list is topped by the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley himself. He has got Rs. 113 crores. Well, we can call the Modi Ministry as Crorepati’s Ministry.

Parliament Session from 4 to 11 June 2014

29 Thursday May 2014

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New Delhi, 29th May: The inaugural session of the new Lok Sabha will commence on June 4, and end on June 11. This was recommended today by the Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet.

The first two days of the inaugural session, parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters, will be used to swear the new MPs in. The Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha will be elected on June 6. President Pranab Mukherjee will address the joint session of the two Houses of Parliament on June 9, and the next two days have been set aside to hold a discussion on the Presidential address. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give his reply to the motion of thanks on the Presidential address at the end of the discussion. (Courtesy: NDTV)

Pension Contribution should be on the basis of the actual pay and not on the maximum of the pay scale.

29 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News

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The government orders in general on the payment of pension contribution in case of deputation of officials are that the institution where the official is working on deputation should pay pension contribution to the government based on the actual pay being drawn by the employee. This is commonsense and appropriate.

But in the case BSNL absorbed DOT Officials for whom the pension is paid by the government, BSNL is compelled to pay pension contribution based on the maximum of the pay scale of the official. This results in hundreds of crores of rupees extra payment by BSNL. This is complete injustice.

The Forum has demanded the government that this situation should be changed and necessary orders issued so that BSNL can pay pension contribution on the basis of the actual pay of the official, which will be a big relief to BSNL.

What will the status of BSNL in the new regime?

29 Thursday May 2014

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BSNL was formed in 2000 during NDA government. It had assured that the financial viability the new corporation will be ensured through ADS, USOF and by reimbursement of the licence fee to be paid by the BSNL to government. All these are stopped after a few years and the BSNL is in real danger. It has accumulated a loss of more than Rs. 25,000 crores during the last four years. The situation is very critical.
Now that the NDA government has come to power, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure what the earlier NDA Government has assured to the workers and the country.

The Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations has submitted a Memorandum signed by the unions/associations on the major issues face by BSNL and the policy and support required from the government to revive the ailing government company. We have also asked for a meeting to present our points of view and suggestions how to improve BSNL.

Hope the minister will call the Forum for discussion.

Meeting to pay homage to Com. R.Umanath

28 Wednesday May 2014

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A well attended meeting was held at BTR Bhawan, CITU Office, on 28th May to pay homage to the veteran Trade Union leader Com. R. Umanath, who passed away on 21 May 2014. The participants paid homage by garlanding and offering flowers before the photo of Co. Umanath. Coms. Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU, Com. Hemalatha, Secretary, CITU, Com. Krishna Prasad (Kisan Sabha) and other leaders spoke about the great contributions of Com. Umanath to the workers and the left movement in the country.

Meeting with Member (Finance), DOT on 78.2% IDA Merger for Pensioners

28 Wednesday May 2014

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Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor and Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA met Ms. Annie Moraes, Member (Finance), DOT and expressed their strong resentment at the undue delay in replying to the queries raised by the dept. of expenditure on the 78.2% IDA merger. Member (F) agreed to speed up the matter, but also pointed out that there are divergent views in DOT on the issue, which has to be sorted out.The representatives also intimated about their decision to organise Protest Dharnas/Rallies on 5th June demanding settlement of the issue.
Earlier, the Association representatives went to meet Secretary DOT, but since he was not available, a letter on the issue requesting early settlement was handed over to the office.

“My first priority to set things right” – Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

28 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News

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” I am aware of the problems of this Department. The Telecom Department has been in the news for many of the wrong reasons and one of my first priorities will be to set things right”.

“Just like Vajpayee Government was known for building road highways, Modi Government should be known for broadband highway.”
– Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

What the Minister says is correct. What has been doing in the telecom sector was completely wrong. The UPA government tried to destroy BSNL and giving all benefits to the private companies, due to which BSNL has gone down both in revenue as well as in services. Will the new government change this scenario to revive BSNL. The Forum of BSNL Unions / Associations is trying to meet the Minister and present our priorities for a healthy BSNL and Telecom Sector.

Reviving BSNL means reviving the Telecom Sector itself.

SIT to bring back Black Money – A good decision

27 Tuesday May 2014

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The first decision of the Modi Government constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to bring back black money as directed by the Supreme Court is a good decision. The UPA government dilli-dallied with the SC directive and did not appoint the team, due to well known reasons. Now the Modi Government has constituted the same on the first day itself. Well done.

It is well known that many big business, politicians, bureaucrats etc have put black money in foreign accounts. The continued demand in the Parliament, in the courts etc. did not succeed till the SC directed the government to appoint an SIT. That was also not done earlier. It is clear that many big sharks are going to be caught. Let us wait.