Almost every thing is settled for the purchase of the own building of the BSNLEU. It is expected that the registration will take place on 8th December 2011.

It is utmost necessary that the building fund collected by the Branches/Districts are sent to CHQ urgently.

The Central Working Committee meeting of FNTO at Chennai is over by today, 2nd December. I have earlier requested on behalf of the JAC that a decision be taken to join the strike on 15th December, called for by the JAC and joined by the NFTE with its allies.

I hope that they have taken a correct decision to join the strike.

The Central Trade Unions including INTUC, AITUC, CITU, BMS, HMS, UTUC etc. has called for one day strike on 28th February 2012 on 10 point demands on which rail / rasta roko was organised on 8th November 2011, which was a great success. Despite sustained agitations, the government has not taken any action to stop the high price rise, anti-worker decisions, settle issues of the unorganised workers etc., the major demands of the workers.

The details of the decisions will be posted later. Let us be prepared for s successful strike on 28th February 2012.

There was some delay in forming AIBDPA in Chennai Circle. The Association has been formed in Chennai on 17th November 2011. When I came to Chennai to attend the CEC meeting of T.Nadu Circle BSNLEU, the Chennai AIBDPA leaders came and met me today, 2nd December under the leadership of Coms. C.K.Narasimhan, Circle Secretary, T.Nadu and  K. Arumugham, Convener, Chennai. Com. K.Govindarajan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Chennai was also present.

The comrades who came were very interested in strengthening the Association. I spoke about the latest developments and the struggles undertaken to settle the issues of the pensioners and they were very much enthused. All of them paid subscription to the ‘Tele Pensioner’ for three years. Certain doubts raised were explained. Comrades assured that AIBDPA will gain strength in the next few months and will become a strong force.

It was a pleasure to interact with these comrades.

While I was returning from Agartala to Kolkata on Thursday, 1st December, the flight was a bit delayed. We were in the lounge after security check and was awaiting boarding announcement. The flight landed, the passengers came out and started their way to go out. Within a few minutes, two sets of the seat rows in the flight was taken outside. I was surprised why the seats are taken out. An ambulance reached near the plane, a wounded army personnel was taken out on a stretcher and was taken inside the plane. All became clear. The army personnel was being taken to Kolkata for better treatment.  On the flight he was crying and shouting with severe pain.

My friend told me this is a usual sight. Due to the lack of sufficient better hospitals in the North Eastern States, patients have to be taken to Kolkata for treatment. The road route is very long curving through the hills and may take one or two days or more. There can be landslides all of a sudden. So, even poor people somehow manage to go by flight to save their dear ones.

This speaks much about the unequal development in the country. The Government is always announcing special packages for North East, but still the area is completely neglected. And the health concerns are completely neglected. The central and state governments have to act. There can not be any delay.

As expected, the Congress Party is trying to evade any strong anti-corruption mechanism in the Lok Pal Bill. Even after the Parliamentary Standing Committee has unanimously recommended inclusion of Group C officials in the Lok Pal Bill and also included the appointment of CBI, the Congress members called for an urgent meeting of the Committee and changed its stance, resulting in changing the already agreed recommendations. This is clear that the change has been made as per the directions of the Congress leadership.

Once again it is made clear to the people that Congress will fight till the last to avoid a strong Lok Pal Bill. And the reason is also well understood.

During my visit to Agartala (Tripura) the leaders of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation met me and discussed about the issues of the Casual and Contract workers.

There are  119 casual workers in Agartala who have been working since the last 15 to 20 years While they are being paid the CDA wages, the IDA wages are not paid. Their regularisation has not been done so far on the plea of the Supreme Court verdict in the Umadevi case. EPF is being deducted but no account number has been given. ESI is not being deducted.

There are specific rules for all these. Then why it is not being implemented. Complete injustice being done to the issues of these workers. The BSNL management has to see that justice is meted out to these workers.

The strike by the traders organisations against FDI has been a good success. The Bandh was organised in almost every town. But the media which support the FDI may not give wide publicity. It is the same media which completely boycotted the news of the massive Parliament March of the employees against PFRDA Bill on 25th November 2011.

But yet, the struggle against FDI in retail trade will continue and strengthen.

British workers went on an unprecedented mighty strike  yesterday (30 th November) against the decision of the government on pension cut and severe austerity measures drastically reducing the social security of the workers and pensioners. It is reported that more than 20 lakh workers participated in the strike, the biggest since 1979.  The strike took place on a joint call by 30 unions.

The austerity measures have been completely opposed by the British workers. The government is contemplating to increase the retirement age to 67 which will adversely affect the job seekers and increase the period for full pension. Schools, government offices, transport etc. were badly affected by the strike.

The capitalist governments want to put the burden of the recession on the workers and bail out the big business, banks etc. who are the real villains of the recession. World wide struggles are arising against  this discrimination and injustice. What is happening in UK is part of the world-wide struggle of the workers. Our solidarity and support to the struggle of the British workers.

Even after 64 years of Independence, the workers in this country are not allowed to have the unions of their choice. The heroic struggle that the Maruti Suzuki Workers of Manesar Plant organised for recognition of their own union is known to all. The Haryana government refused to register the union and the management refused to recognise it though almost all the workers of the plant are members of the union.

The same issue is now in the Hyundai Motors at Chennai (T.Nadu). The Hyundai Motor India Employees Union wanted recognition by the management. When the union was formed, most of the office-bearers of the union,  23, were terminated. When the workers  protested through demonstrations, they have been arrested and kept in custody.

The right to organise and right to collective bargaining is accepted  all over the world. The labour laws in the country allows to form union with a minimum of 7 workers.  But even when thousands of workers have formed the union, the private companies are not recognising them. No discussion takes place. The government does not intervene on behalf of the workers. But it is intervening and supporting the private companies. The right of the workers to form union itself is being questioned. The neo-liberalisation policy of the government is in open support to the MNCs and private companies and is acting against the interest of the workers.

That is why all the Central Trade Unions are jointly organising struggles to ensure the right of the workers. It is the duty of each and every worker to support and participate in the struggles.