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!