Tag Archives: CITU

Trade Unions oppose recent increase in FDI in several sectors

13 Friday Nov 2015

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The mad run of the Modi government increasing FDI in many sectors, including up to 100% has been severely criticised by the Central Trade Unions. In a Press Statement BMS General Secretary Vrijesh Upadhyay has pointed out that the increase in FDI has not benefited the country. More money has gone out of India, than what has been invested here, he said. CITU President A.K.Padmanabhan and AITUC Secretary D.L.Sachdev have also strongly opposed the decision to increase FDI.

Unity is of paramount importance – Com.A.K.Padmanabhan, President, CITU

27 Sunday Sep 2015

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” Unity is of paramount importance so that we are able to to force the government concede our demands”

” There has been a break (in unity) after the strike( 2nd September 2015). But we want unity so that the trade union movement becomes a success.”

( Excerpts from the interview given by Com. AKP, President, CITU to Business Standard on the 2nd September 2015 strike and the withdrawal of BMS from the same. Published in BS dated 27-09-2015)

KEEP THE MOMENTUM ALIVE – CITU SECRETARIAT

25 Friday Sep 2015

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KEEP THE MOMENTUM ALIVE – CITU SECRETARIAT

 Hemalata
The full secretariat of CITU met in Delhi on 23- 24 September to have a preliminary review of the country wide general strike on 2nd September 2015 and formulate future tasks to carry the movement forward. – out of the total – secretariat members from all over the country attended the meeting. The initial assessment of the central trade unions that the strike was massive and unprecedented was endorsed by the full secretariat of CITU. It also affirmed that the withdrawal of BMS had no impact on the strike.
The grand success of the strike is an unambiguous proof of the growing anger and discontent of the working class towards the policies being pursued by the Modi led NDA government at the centre. It was also a strong signal that the working class was not ready to buy the argument, put forward by BMS for backing out from the strike, that the BJP led government has taken positive measures on several points in the charter of demands. Reports from several states have shown that in many states the BMS members and even many local leaders of BMS were not happy with the decision of the BMS leadership to withdraw from the strike. In several states, they did not take back the strike notices that they have given jointly with the other trade unions. Many have openly expressed their dissatisfaction at the decision of their leadership which they felt was not correct. The anger among the workers against the government policies and the impact created by the unity of all trade unions and the joint campaign was such that in most of the states, local BMS leadership could not come out strongly against the strike. In some states it was the RSS cadres who openly opposed the strike. Many BMS members and even some local leaders in several states have reportedly joined the strike. It was apparent that BMS withdrew from the strike at the behest of RSS, the head of its parivar, which has declared that it was satisfied with the performance of the government, which it said was on the right path. This certificate was given from the meeting of the Samanvay Samiti of the RSS, which started on the same day as the strike. The workers obviously did not endorse this certificate.
A very important feature of this strike, noted by the CITU secretariat, was the participation of the workers both in the organised and unorganised sectors, who were not members of any trade union. It is estimated that around 40% of those who participated in the strike were totally non unionised. In many states including Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, and several others, the workers spontaneously reacted to the strike call wherever the campaign reached them.
This was particularly visible among the road transport workers who overwhelmingly joined the strike surpassing all expectations. The sustained campaign of the All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation (AIRTWF) affiliated to CITU, the district and state committees of CITU and the joint all India strike of road transport workers on 30th April 2015 contributed immensely in exposing the dangerous impact of the so called Road Safety Bill on all sections of road transport workers, including state road transport, private road transport and auto rickshaw drivers etc. An overwhelming majority of road transport workers who participated in the strike were not at all unionised. They spontaneously reacted to the leaflets and booklets printed by the CITU and AIRTWF, joined the strike and invited the CITU leadership to address their meetings. In some states, they photocopied the materials and circulated among themselves. In some states, unionised state road transport corporation workers who had never joined any strike till now, also participated in the strike this time.
Similar response was also observed in many industrial areas in many states. In some states, CITU committees served strike notice on all factories in the industrial cluster irrespective of whether it had affiliated unions or not. Significantly all the workers in these industrial clusters participated in the strike. It was noted that in many industrial clusters where the workers did not belong to any union, all the workers joined the strike en masse. Similarly non unionised industrial workers in states like Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana etc also joined the strike in large numbers.
While all the twelve points in the charter of demands were important, some issues like amendment to labour laws, minimum wages, equal wage and benefits to contract workers, recognition of ‘scheme workers’ as workers with all attendant benefits, price rise and disinvestment struck a chord with large sections of the working class.
CITU secretariat also expressed its dismay and severe resentment at the way the government chose to ignore the anger of the working class expressed through this massive strike. Though it was compelled to let the Land Acquisition Ordinance to lapse and keep the GST bill pending due to various political reasons, the BJP led government is going full steam with its project of labour law amendments. The Prime Minister reportedly directed the Labour Ministry not to lose the momentum. Intense preparations are being made to get the Labour Code Bills passed at the earliest to satisfy the domestic and foreign corporations that the ‘ease of doing business’ in India has improved.
In this situation, the CITU secretariat decided that this challenge could be met by the working class only by keeping the momentum of its struggle too intact. The working class cannot afford to be content and rest with the success of this strike. The campaign among the workers must continue. This strike proved that workers respond when we are able to reach them with concrete issues, demands and programmes. In view of this, such efforts must be multiplied several times to reach all those multitudes of workers whom this campaign could not reach. It called upon all its committees and cadres to continue the countrywide campaign and agitation on the 12 point charter of demands through October and November with particular focus on the pro corporate labour law amendments, minimum wage of Rs 15000, same wage to contract workers as the regular workers doing the same job, recognition to scheme workers as workers with attendant benefits, containing price rise and universalise PDS and stopping disinvestment.
The myth propagated by the government and the BMS that seven out of the twelve points in the charter of demands of the trade unions have been addressed by the government should be effectively exposed from our independent platform during this campaign. A detailed note debunking the government’s claims would be prepared by the CITU centre, which should be utilised for taking the message to wider sections of workers.
CITU secretariat also called upon its various industrial federations as well as committees to take the initiative to take up militant sectoral struggles on the specific demands of the workers in that particular sector wherever possible jointly or independently. Sectoral joint struggles have already been planned in some sectors like the anganwadi employees, electricity employees etc.
The importance of bringing all the non unionised workers who participated in the strike, particularly the road transport workers, into the organisational fold was also emphasised by the CITU secretariat. It reiterated the importance of paying special attention to organise the workers in the road transport sector and the industrial workers by allotting suitable cadres.
While noting the key role played by CITU committees and cadres in ensuring the success of the strike, the CITU secretariat also pointed out that this was not reflected in the CITU membership. It called upon all its committees to simultaneously ensure that the membership base of CITU is also expanded during the October – November campaign, to reflect its true strength.
The importance of developing closer relationship with the people and involve them in the struggles in such sectors where their interests were linked with the interests of the industry and the employees was also stressed by the CITU secretariat. Efforts have already been initiated in some sectors like ICDS and electricity. The difficulties that common people would face due to the privatisation and dismantling of the road transport sector should also be explained to the common people and their support sought in fighting privatisation of road transport.
The huge participation in solidarity actions, of peasants and agricultural workers and of members of AIDWA, SFI and DYFI in several states, was an important feature of this strike. The call of CITU to observe an all India Day on 30th July 2015 in solidarity with the peasants demands including its campaign against the Land Acquisition Ordinance had a very positive impact. The CITU secretariat decided to take this forward and called upon all its state committee to observe one day during the October November campaign to focus the agrarian crisis and in solidarity with the demands of the peasants and agricultural workers.
CITU secretariat warned the working class of the dangers of the divisive forces which sought to disrupt the unity and divide the working class on the basis of different kinds of identity. The present global crisis is having impact on the country despite the denial of the government. It is bringing into focus several problems which cannot be solved by the capitalist system. The Patidar agitation in Gujarat demanding reservations to the Patels, a well to do section is a reflection of one such problem. It exposes the myth of the ‘Gujarat model’ of development where youth are not able to find decent employment opportunities. In effect this is a movement for the withdrawal of reservations for the SC/ ST and backward sections. This is influencing sections of middle class employees and others as well.
The communal forces are utilising various occasions to spread their divisive ideology. The government itself is carrying out the directives of the RSS to push its ideology and line in the fields of history, science, education, culture etc and communalise the various government institutions. These pose a serious threat to the unity of the working class and hamper its ability to intensify united struggles against the onslaughts of the ruling classes on its basic rights. CITU called upon the working class to be vigilant against all such moves and protect its unity which alone would enable it to strengthen united struggles and protect its interests in the coming days.

 

45 years of CITU – Militant struggles for advancement of workers

30 Saturday May 2015

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Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the militant organisation of the Indian working class completes 45 years of its existence on 30th May 2015. Founded on 30th May 1970 at the Calcutta All India Conference, parting from the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), which was treading the revisionist path, the new organisation struggled forward  against the attack both from the government as well as from the parent organisation.

As stated above, CITU was formed in the All India Conference held t Calcutta from 28th to 31st May 1970. Com. B.T.Ranadive and Com. P.Ramamoorthy were the first President and General Secretary, respectively. During the last 45 years the posts of President / Secretary have been held by veteran trade union leaders like Samar Mukherjee, E.Balanandan, M.K.Pandhe, Chittabrata Majumdar and Mohd. Amin. The present President is Com. A.K.Padmanabhan and General Secretary  Com. Tapan Sen. All these  leaders were / are  top leaders of the  CPI(M).

I feel honoured to remember that I could meet all these leaders, get their guidance in the union activities and also had/have  a person to person relation, except Com. P.Ramamoorthy, with whom I have met only a few times at the time of All India Conventions held at New Delhi.

CITU has taken the initiative for uniting the working class and bringing all the 11 Central Trade Unions in India together on the demands of the workers and to fight joint struggles. The latest is the call of the CTUs for a one day general strike on 2nd September 2015.

On this 45th anniversary of the CITU, let us pledge to continue the struggles for the emancipation of the toiling masses and for a better world for the working class.

 

CITU Supports BSNL Strike

22 Wednesday Apr 2015

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Com.A.K.Padmanabhan, President, CITU, has issued the following statement:

CITUSupports the Strike in BSNL

CITUcongratulates the 2.25 lakhs of employees of BSNL, including 40,000 executives
for their successful countrywide united strike for 48 hours on 21st and 22nd April
2015.
The strike call given by the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations, an umbrella
organization of all the unions and association of employees and executives. It was after
4 months of their strike notice, they have gone on strike.
The issues raised by the Forum are the issues of saving the public sector telecom
enterprise which is being derided of all support from the Government and at the same
time the private players in the sector are favoured and supported.
It is unfortunate that the employees of a telecom PSU are forced to go on a 48 hour
strike for procurement of equipments like mobile lines, broadband modem etc. All the
demands including filling up of vacancies are aimed at strengthening the enterprise.
It is condemnable that the concerned Minister or the Department Secretary did not
even call the unions for a discussion on their demands.
CITU urges the Government to take necessary steps to save this crucial PSU. CITU
assures all support to the employees and executives in their struggle in defence of the
PSU and calls upon them to be prepared for united actions of all public sector
employees in defence of public sector undertakings in the country.
(A.K.PADMANABHAN)
President CITU

CITU protests against decision to put EPF Funds in share markets.

02 Thursday Apr 2015

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New Delhi, April 1: Centre of Indian Trade Unions registers its vehement protest over the Government decision to invest 5 to 15 percent workers PF accumulation to speculative share market ignoring total opposition by the entire trade union movement.

It may be recalled that the past Labour Ministers as Chairman of Central Board of Trustees used to take a position supporting the views of Trade Unions. But now the current Labour Minister of the BJP Government is supporting the employers demand for share market investment of PF accumulations.  .

In addition to the disastrous new investment pattern, proposals have been officially made for whole-sole amendment of the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952  which includes matters presented by the Finance Minister in his Budget speech on amendment of the EPF Act.

Except widening the scope of implementation of the EPF Act, by reducing the limit of the number of workers to 10 from 20, most of the other amendments will result in the death knell of the Social Security Scheme in the country, which used to be showcased as a great achievement of the country.  Option is being given to EPF subscribers to switch over to the National Pension Scheme (NPS) which is only a saving scheme.  By projecting NPS as a better alternative to provident fund, Government is trying to move the workers from a Social Security Scheme, which guarantees certain benefits even to the family members of EPF subscribers.

Through some other amendments, Government, in the name of supporting  small factories  are reducing the existing benefits to the largest chunk of Industrial workers in the country.  Workers in factories with 10 to 40 workers will get lesser benefits from EPF.  It is to be noted that more than 75 per cent of industrial workers are from these factories with  workers up to 40.

In total, the changes being made in the EPF Scheme in the country are part of the market oriented neoliberal economic policies of the BJP Government at the center.

CITU calls upon the working people in the country to raise their voice of protest against these amendments and investment proposals along with the campaign  and preparations for the united direct action against the BJP Government’s anti worker – anti people policies (INN)

 

B.T.Ranadive, the Champion of the Working Class

18 Thursday Dec 2014

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BtRanadiveToday is the 110th birthday anniversary of one of the top militant and revolutionary leader of the working class, Com.B.T.Ranadive. He was born on 19th December 1904.

Balchadra Trimbak Ranadive was a bright student and passed MA with distinction. He joined the Communist Party  in 1928 and also became a leader of the All India trade Union Congress at Bombay. He actively participated  in the Bombay Girni Kamgar union and Railways Unions. He supported the Navy mutiny and organised solidarity strike in support of the Naval mutiny.

He was elected as President of the CITU and continued till his death. He was also elected to the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). A militant leader, he guided many struggles of the working class, including government employees. He was married to Com. Vimal Ranadive, herself a staunch trade union leader. Com. Ahilya Rangnekar, the leader of the heroic struggle of the Adivasis and a CPI(M) leader, is the sister of Com. BTR. All of them have passed away. Com. BTR passed away on 6th April 1990.

I had been fortunate to be in contact with Com. BTR for a long time connected with the P and T trade union activities. He had attended the Conferences of P and T unions at  All India level as also in the Kerala Circle Conferences. His guidance and advice in the trade union activities were inspiring.

On his 110th birth anniversary, my respectful homage to Com. B.T.Ranadive. We pledge to continue to tread the path shown by him.

Red Salute to Com. BTR !

 

 

CITU Calls for Continuity Of Protest Action On 24th November Against Privatisation Of Coal Sector

24 Monday Nov 2014

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From India News Network(INN)

New Delhi, November 23: CITU calls upon coal workers to protest against nefarious game plan of the government of India to commence the process of denationalization of coal mining through the promulgation of Ordinance containing enabling provision for allowing private sector in commercial mining of coal. CITU also calls upon the coal workers and their unions/federations irrespective of affiliations to organize “work stoppage” for two hours” in all the coal mines/establishments in the country on 24th November 2014 and hold massive militant demonstration to voice their determination not to allow handing over of the coal mines to private corporates, both domestic and foreign, for commercial mining.

CITU resents the manner the joint strike call in coal industry on 24th November 2014 has been postponed/deferred by some of the federations only on the basis of so called vague assurance of Joint Secretary of coal ministry on his effort to arrange meeting between the federations and the government, when the Ordinance initiating the process of aggressive denationalization of coal mining is already put in the track of implementation and the time of auctioning of coal blocks has been more or less finalized.

Similar assurance given to the federations on arranging meeting with minister by the CIL management and the bureaucracy only one and half month back did not materialize. In view of the Ordinance already put in implementation track, which, inter alia, grossly tampered and altered the basic provisions of Coal Nationalised Act 1973, the joint one day strike call of 24th November 2014 by four federations in coal industry was envisaged as a protest action, preparatory to higher struggle for resistance to the aggressive move for denationalization/ privatization of coal mining sector by the coal workers. There is no justification for withdrawal/postponement/deferment of said protest strike merely on the basis of assurance of meeting with government more so when such assurance has already been violated only a month back.

CITU led All India Coal Workers’ Federation has rightly opposed such postponement of strike and refused to endorse the conclusions of the meeting between the federations and the ministry officials held 22nd November 2014 at New Delhi. The AICWF while opposing such decision of withdrawal/postponement of strike decided to hold two hour work stoppage and massive demonstration in coal industry on the same day on 24th November 2014.

CITU calls upon the coal workers and their unions irrespective of affiliations to keep the continuity of the protest action on while observing work-stoppage for two hours and massive demonstration in all the coal mines and establishments on 24th November and prepare for united resistance struggle against the government move for denationalization of coal industry and privatization/disinvestment in the days to come.

 

CITU General Council started at Bellary Today.

11 Friday Jul 2014

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The General Council Meeting of CITU started at Bellary, Karnataka today and will continue for four days till 14th July. About 500 delegates are attending representing the more than 60 lakh members. Com.A.K.Padmanabhan, President CITU in his inaugural speech called upon the working class to be prepared for serious united struggles to defend the rights of the workers.
The General Council meeting is important since it will have to review its activities since the CITU All India Conference at Kannur in 2013 and plan the future in the present situation after the BJP has come in to power. The united struggle of the 11 Central Trade Unions on the 10 Point Charter of Demands they have placed before the government and the future programmes will also be discussed. The issues of Casual and Contract workers and unorganised workers is an important item in the agenda.
Com. P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU, Com.M.Krishnan, Secretary General, Confederation of CG Employees and Workers are attending as Fraternal delegates to the General Council.

Protest against Rail Budget – CITU Press Release

08 Tuesday Jul 2014

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PRESS RELEASE
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU) expressed serious concern at the BJP Govt’s first Railway Budget, 2014-15 which declares its dependence on so called public private partnership, private investment including FDI for funding its infrastructural and capacity augmentation projects. It reflects nothing but continuity of the same pro-corporate policy of the much discredited Congress Regime, rather in more aggressive form.
Just weeks before the Railway Budget, steep hike in passenger fares and freight charges to the tune of 14.2% and 6.5 % respectively exposed the brazen undemocratic as well as anti-people modus operandi of the BJP Govt. Added to this is the budgetary announcement of linking the future prices of travel with fuel adjustment factor which will result in virtual deregulation of railway fares providing for automatic increase in railway fares with the increase in price of fuel. This is nothing but an arrangement for perpetual increase of burden on common people.
Further, the thrust on PPP, FDI and outsourcing in various segments of railway operation and services as outlined in the current Railway Budget, is going to make the situation worse. Despite abject failure of the same exercise on depending on PPP route for infrastructural expansion and services during the UPA regime as reflected in plan expenditure in 2013-14 falling short by a whopping “Rs 59,359 crore from the target due to non-materialisation of PPP targets”, the Modi Govt also preferred to stick to the same provenly failed route. This means, either the expansion work will suffer or the private investors’ lobby will extract more undue concessions from the Govt in the process of their response, finally increasing the burden on the common people. Precisely, that had been the past experience of all PPP projects in sea-ports, airports, roads etc during the UPA’s tenure which increased the burden on the consumers and the people in a big way.
Despite admitting in the budget the abject failure of the Railways to implement the declared and sanctioned projects even to an insignificant extent, resulting in huge accumulation of unfulfilled projects announced in successive budgets, the current Budget failed to present any concrete roadmap for their execution except giving sound bites on prioritization, time frame etc. Even the new announcements made in the current budget do not have appropriate budgetary back-up, rendering them to be deceptive in real sense.
The Budget sounded high on Govt’s commitment to safety, but kept absolute silence about filling up around 3 lakh vacancies in the Railways, majority of which are related to management and maintenance of safety standards in railway operation.
CITU records its condemnation to this anti-people and privatization oriented Railway Budget and calls upon the working people to voice their protest against such retrograde exercise of the Modi Govt.
Issued by
(TAPAN SEN)
General Secretary