Tag Archives: 1960 strike

59th Anniversary of the Epic Strike of July 1960 – Homage to the Martyrs!

10 Wednesday Jul 2019

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July 11th, 2019 is the 59th anniversary of the Historic Five Days Strike of the Central Government employees.

The strike was against the retrograde recommendations of the II Central Pay Commission, which did not recommend  minimum wage as per the 15th Indian Labour Conference approved formula as also no automatic DA whenever the cost of living was increased, as demanded by the unions. The increase in the wage was minimal.

Under the Joint Council of Action of the Central Government employees Federations  (AIRF, AIDEF, Confederation and NFPTE), the biggest Indefinite strike in independent India started on the night of 11/12th July 1960. The government refused to negotiate despite continued efforts of the JCA as also many Members of Parliament including Feroze Gandhi ( Husband of Indira Gandhi). The government was adamant. Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru called the strike as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and utilised the entire government machinery to crush it. Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) was promulgated and thousands of workers were arrested, convicted, dismissed, suspended, terminated and charge sheeted. All India leaders were arrested and put in Tihar Jail. Never before India has seen such brutal attack on any strike in the country.

It is to the credit of the workers and their loyalty to their organisation that the strike continued for five days. The entire train running system, the postal and telecom services were all badly affected. Unable to continue against the brutal attack of the government machinery and victimisation, the strike was called of on the fifth day.

5 Railways workers in Dohad were killed by police firing. 2 comrades in Kerala (one from postal and one from telephones) committed suicide unable to face the termination from service. Many were punished with rigorous imprisonment. Public, trade union leaders and outsiders were arrested for supporting the strike. Recognition of the striking federations/unions were withdrawn.

The workers faced these attacks with full confidence in their organisation and leaders. They knew there is no other way to defend their rights and justified demands. They saw the most cruel face of the so called ‘democratic government’.

PTTI and many international and foreign trade unions supported the strike and demanded the government to vacate victimisation.   In the Parliament, Nehru government was put on the dock by eminent Members of Parliament like A.K.Gopalan, S.M.Banerjee, Nath Pai and many others, who demanded vacation of all victimisation.

It took more than three years for the vacation of victimisation and re-recognition of the unions and federations. But the scars remained for a long time.

Though crushed, the 1960 strike was not in vain. For that matter, no struggle is in vain. The government was compelled to act against the price rise, appoint two committees one after another on the issue of DA and has to start discussion with the unions on the constitution of negotiating machinery, which later became the Joint Consultative Machinery(JCM).

As a participant of the historic strike, I have my own hard experience, which I may narrate some time  later.

The 1960 strike has many lessons for the working class. The determination, dedication and sacrifice of the leaders and workers who were part  of the great struggle will ever be remembered.

The Central Govt. employees are once again on the struggle path. The struggle against the retrograde recommendations of the VII CPC will continue. The workers are waiting for decisions of the Modi Government.

On this 59th anniversary of the epic strike of 1960, we pay homage to all the participants of the strike and especially to those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle!

57th Anniversary of the Glorious Five day Strike of 1960

11 Tuesday Jul 2017

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The 5 days strike by the Central Government Employees started from 11th July 1960 will always inspire not only the CG Employees, but the entire working class in India. It was the biggest strike that Indian government had to face since Independence in 1947. This year is the 57th anniversary of the same.

The strike called by the All India Railwaymen Federation (AIRF), All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) and Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers demanded the government to modify the retrograde recommendations of the II Central Pay Commission, grant of Minimum Wage, Full neutralisation for cost of living etc.

The Government dealt the strike with iron hands. The government declined to meet the leaders of the Joint Action Committee. Instead it promulgated the Essential Service maintenance Ordinance against the strike with stringent punishment. Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru termed the strike as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and issued instructions to suppress it with all the might of the central and state governments. Thousands of workers were jailed (outsiders also for supporting the strike), dismissed, terminated, suspended, charge sheeted, severely punished and transferred. The All India leaders were arrested and paraded hand-cuffed through the streets of Delhi. The government dealt with the strikers as enemies of the country. The strike could not go on more than 5 days. It was mercilessly suppressed by the government.

It took more than 4 years to get all the officials got reinstated. Even that was only after the Members of Parliament like Coms. A.K.Gopalan, Nath Pai, S.M.Banerjee and others lambasted the government in the Parliament about the inhuman treatment of the strikers by the government.

I was working at Cannanore (Kannur) at that time. Three comrade were put in jail, punished for 6 months rigorous imprisonment. I was kept out of service, charge sheeted and punished. The working class realised  the inhuman face of the Congress government. Though suppressed with in a decade the government was compelled to accept at least some of the demands.

By once again going on a one day strike on 19th September 1968, the workers showed that they will continue to fight for their rights.

On this 57th anniversary, we pay homage to the great martyrs and pledge ourselves to continue the struggles in the path shown by them.

Red Salute to Martyrs!

(For details of the struggle, go through the book ” History of P&T TU Movement” being published shortly )

 

56th Anniversary of the 1960 Strike of Central Government Employees

10 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by in CG Employees, TU News - India

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July 11th, 2016 is the 56th anniversary of the Historic Five Days Strike of the Central Government employees.

The strike was against the retrograde recommendations of the II Central Pay Commission, which did not recommend  minimum wage as per the 15th Indian Labour Conference approved formula as also no automatic DA as demanded by the unions was accepted. The increase in the wage was minimal.

Under the Joint Council of Action of the Central Government employees Federations  (AIRF, AIDEF, Confederation and NFPTE), the biggest Indefinite strike in independent India started on the night of 11/12th July 1960. The government refused to negotiate despite the continued efforts of the JCA as also many Members of Parliament including Firoze Gandhi ( Husband of Indira Gandhi). The government was adamant. Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru called the strike as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and utilised the entire government machinery to crush it. Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) was promulgated and thousands of workers were arrested, convicted, dismissed, suspended, terminated and charge sheeted. All India leaders were arrested and put in Tihar Jail. Never before India has seen such brutal attack on any strike in the country.

It is to the credit of the workers and their loyalty to their organisation that the strike continued for five days. The entire train running system, the postal and telecom services were all badly affected. Unable to continue against the brutal attack of the government machinery and victimisation, the strike was called of on the fifth day.

5 Railways workers in Dohad were killed by police firing. 2 comrades in Kerala (one from postal and one from telephones) committed suicide unable to face the termination from service. Many were punished with rigorous imprisonment. Public, trade union leaders and outsiders were arrested for supporting the strike. Recognition of the striking federations/unions were withdrawn.

The workers faced these attacks with full confidence in their organisation and leaders. They knew there is no other way to defend their rights and justified demands. They saw the most cruel face of the so called ‘democratic government’.

PTTI and many international and foreign trade unions supported the strike and demanded the government to vacate victimisation.   In the Parliament, Nehru government was put on the dock by eminent Members of Parliament like A.K.Gopalan, S.M.Banerjee, Nath Pai and many others, who demanded vacation of all victimisation.

It took more than three years for the vacation of victimisation and re-recognition of the unions and federations. But the scars remained for a long time.

Though crushed, the 1960 strike was not in vain. For that matter, no struggle is in vain. The government was compelled to act against the price rise, appoint two committees one after another on the issue of DA and has to start discussion with the unions on the constitution of negotiating machinery, which later became the Joint Consultative Machinery(JCM).

As a participant of the historic strike, I have my own experience, which I may narrate some time  later.

The 1960 strike has many lessons for the working class. The determination, dedication and sacrifice of the leaders and workers who were part  of the great struggle will ever be remembered.

The Central Govt. employees are once again on the struggle path. The indefinite strike called for from 11th July 2016 against the retrograde recommendations of the VII CPC is deferred at present on the assurance of the government. The workers are waiting for the government decisions. Any failure on the part of the government will result in another great strike.

A young comrade who was jailed in the 1960 Strike.

14 Wednesday Aug 2013

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1960 Strike of the Central Government employees was really historic. It was the first of the big strikes in India after Independence. It is difficult for the new generation to understand how inhumanly and brutally the five days strike was suppressed by the Government declaring it as ‘Civil Rebellion’. It was to crush the strike that the government promulgated the ‘Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance’ for the first time. Thousands were arrested and jailed, including those outsiders who supported the strike. Tens of thousands were dismissed, suspended and terminated. Heavy punishments were imposed after conducting shabby Rule 14 proceedings. Transfers were in lakhs. Independent India has never seen such state brutality before. Employees were treated as enemies of the country.
I had my own hard experience. Though less than two years of service, when the strike took place from 11th July 1960, I was the local leader of the telecom employees at Kannur, Kerala, where I was posted. We were mostly juniors, many of whom were later entrants than me with 3 to 6 months service. Once the strike started, we were all compelled to go underground to escape arrest.
But despite all precautions, many were arrested, for participation in the strike. The police wanted me to arrest being the local office-bearer of the union. But, instead, they arrested Com.M.N.N.Namboodiri, who was only having about three to six months service’ on the misunderstanding that it was me. He was presented before the Magistrate. When the Magistrate found out that he was not V.A.N.Namboodiri, he offered him to release and attend the office. But the young man told the court that he was on strike on the call of the union and he was not going back for duty unless the union says so. The Magistrate got angry and immediately issued judgement punishing him for six months rigorous imprisonment and he was sent to jail. He was in jail for about 15 days. By the time, the strike was over and he was released on bail.
The young brave comrade was reinstated later, passed ESP examination and got promotion and went to Bombay. He retired from Trichur as DE. On 30th June 1996, the day I retired, I got a call from him informing that he has also retired on the same day.
When I came to Trichur, after much difficulty his number was found out, and called him on his land-line. He was glad to speak to me. We spoke for some time, remembered the good times, enquired about health etc. When asked him why has no mobile free connection which he is entitled, he said there was no necessity and hence not taken. Fair enough.
So after about 18 years since retirement, I got the chance to speak him again, though could not meet. I will meet certainly meet him next time I come to Trichur, the comrade who went to jail, instead of me, who was brave enough to face jail sentence for going on strike.
Now some of our employees are worried about loss of salary for going on strike, but thousands of employees like Com. MNN Namboodiri did not even fear imprisonment for implementing the call of the union.
These are the shining examples of courage and commitment to the cause!