People's Democracy

Central TU’s Warn Of Countrywide Strike

Ask UPA Govt To Implement CMP Promises

The central trade unions – AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, HMS, UTUC, UTUC(LS), UTUCC – have warned the UPA government that they will be compelled to call for a countrywide general strike if it does not refrain from carrying out anti-people, anti-worker policies. They demanded the government to implement the pro-people promises made in the Common Minimum Programme. And in order to pressurise the government in this direction they have chalked out a series of agitational programmes. A protest week would be observed through out the country from March 6 to 12, 2005 by holding conventions, rallies, dharnas, mass demonstrations. This is for mobilising support for the various demands of the TUs and preparing the working people for prolonged action. Also there would be massive demonstrations all over the country on February 26 against the recently promulgated ordinance amending the Indian Patents Act.

The leaders of these central trade unions met in New Delhi on February 3 and jointly issued the following statement:

THE central trade unions are firmly of the view that the present government has not set out to reverse the pernicious economic policies implemented by the BJP-led NDA government which caused immense distress to the people. In fact, in our opinion, the present government is essentially carrying out the measures that deeply hurt the working masses. This is in total violation of the election mandate. People had voted not only against communalism but also for an alternative economic policy for creation of jobs, alleviation of poverty and improvement of the quality of life of the common people.

Nearly nine months have passed, the UPA government does not appear to be willing to enact a law for crores of unorganised labour, extending the benefit of reasonable period of employment and ensuring the payment of minimum wage. The employment guarantee scheme proposed by the government does not address the concern of the trade unions. While welcoming the rise in the interest rate on EPF conceding the long-standing demand of the trade unions, we feel the government, in fact, is seeking to dilute the existing social security by setting up the Pension Fund Regulatory Authority and seeking to divert 15 per cent of the Provident Fund to risky investment in the stock markets. Its promulgation of ordinance on patents in the name of carrying out its commitment to WTO is ominous. It will surely endanger agriculture, pharmaceutical and small-scale industry of the country as well as indigenous research activities. It has already led to abnormal rise in prices of medicines. The government is consistently implementing the earlier policy of its predecessor of privatisation, disinvestment, dismantling of the public sector while at the same time doling out concessions to foreign corporates and also to the Indian companies to the great detriment of the national interest.

The points in question are:

Increase in the foreign direct investment to 74 per cent in telecom sector; refusal to review the Electricity Act 2003; leasing out of Mumbai and Delhi Airports to foreign corporates and disinvestment of public sector airlines; move to allow 74 per cent of FDI in private banks, allowing foreign banks to take control over crores of rupees of Indian national savings; merger of public sector banks and resort to disinvestment up to even 49 per cent in the nationalised banks, jeopardizing social banking, disrupting flow of credit to priority sectors and agriculture. The government’s agricultural policy is disastrous, pauperisation in peasantry remains unabated, land reforms are not being done, unemployment is mounting, and there is hardly any sign of creation of additional, jobs in the economy. In fact, the government has failed to curb the mounting attack of the corporates, both Indian and foreign, on tine working masses, the reckless outsourcing, contractualisation, casaulisation, gross under payment, unusual rise in workload and violation of labour laws, including in special economic zones, remain unchecked.

There can be no further toleration of the drift of the government policy and the Indian working class is determined to call a halt to the process, taking to streets, and, calls upon the working masses to prepare for a countrywide general strike, as a part of prolonged battle, compelling the government to reverse its policy.

Our immediate demands are:

• Immediate enactment of a comprehensive legislation for the unorganised labour, including for the agricultural labour, with adequate funding and effective monitoring system.

• Guaranteed 100 days employment for all unemployed persons throughout the country with a minimum wage; scrupulously implementing the centrally sponsored schemes within a stipulated time period.

• Massive government investment to create increasing job opportunities to tackle the basic human problems –– unemployment, hunger and poverty.

• Carry out land reforms and augment irrigation facilities to rejuvenate agriculture, ensuring rotation of crops thereby creating more man-days for agricultural labour.

• Scrap the decision to increase FDI in telecom sector; review the Electricity Act 2003; abandon the proposal of merger of the nationalised banks; withdraw the scheme of disinvestment in the banking sector; stop majority stake for the foreign private corporates in the private banks and also discontinue disinvestment and privatisation of the profit making and viable public sector enterprises. Scrap the ordinance amending the Indian Patents Act.

• Strengthen and enforce the labour laws to protect the interests of the working masses and remove all curbs on trade union activities.

• Expand the public distribution system with a regular supply of subsidised essential commodities to all.

The trade unions call upon the government to display its political commitment to mobilise adequate internal resources to carry out its commitment to the people and execute the measures listed in the Common Minimum Programme by broadening tax base, including the people who have a capacity to pay, increasing the tax-GDP ratio, increasing tax on the corporates and imposing tax on the affluent landed gentry, while at the same time enforcing tax laws to prevent evasion.

Our programme

1. Protest week from March 6 to 12, 2005 by holding conventions, rallies, dharnas, mass demonstrations, mobilising support for the demands through various forms of campaigns and preparing the working people for prolonged action.

2.  Massive demonstrations all over the country on February 26, 2005 against the recently promulgated ordinance relating to patents.

3.  Trade unions will intensify the struggle and shall be compelled to go on countrywide  general strike, if necessary, and final decision will be taken in consultation with trade unions and federations. (INN)