People's Democracy

Massive Preparation For Sept 29 General Strike

 M K Pandhe

PREPARATIONS for the countrywide general strike on September 29, 2005, have reached a final staged with the observation of National Mobilisation Day on September 15, workers all over India have held huge rallies unitedly to serve strike notices to the managements on the 16-point charter of demands (see page 3) formulated by the National Convention organised by the sponsoring committee of Trade Unions on July 9, 2005 in New Delhi.

Programmes for state-level conventions of trade unions have been successfully carried out explaining the decisions of the New Delhi convention. Several independent unions joined these conventions and expressed their support to the nationwide industrial action. Some local unions belonging to INTUC and BMS have joined some of the conventions and expressed their support to the general strike. The unique feature of these convention was participation of some o the officers associations who welcome the magnificent unity built on Common demands taking the working class.

Most of the conventions were well-attended and reflected the fighting mood of the working class in all corners of the country. Central trade union leaders who attended these conventions explained the growing attacks on the working and living condition of the workers. Significant participation of women workers in these conventions indicated accumulated discontent among them about the central government’s economic policies. Never before have the unorganised sections of the workers participated in earlier conventions in such a massive manner. The brutal repression of Honda workers in Gurgaon, Haryana, was condemned in all the conventions and the working class was called upon to resist such draconian measures.

On September 7, Jyoti Basu vice-president of CITU, addressed a state-level convention of NPMO in Kolkata and called upon all mass organisations to do their utmost to convert September 29 as a day of mass protest against the World Bank-dictated economic policies which are ruining the national economy. As on previous occasions, the working class of West Bengal is preparing for total work stoppages by all section of the workers.

In Kerala, the local self government election are being held in the last week of September. It was therefore felt that the strike date would be deferred in Kerala due to these elections. However, the sponsoring committee in Kerala has decided to join the nationwide protest action on September 29, despite local-level difficulties.

OPPOSITION TO OIL PRICE HIKE

The recent rise in petrol and diesel prices has added fuel to the fire of discontent among the workers. Workers going to factories and offices in two wheelers have been specially annoyed with the fifth time rise in hike of petrol since the UPA government has assumed power. The threat of rise in bus fare and freight charges has evoked strong resentment among poorer sections of the people. The possibility of rise in price of LPG and Kerosene prices has caused serious anxiety among the common people. The speeches in the conventions reflected these concerns among the workers. The appreciation of the stand of the Left parties which demanded reduction in government taxes on oil was voiced by several non-Left speakers in the conventions.

In most of the states, district-level conventions were organised to popularise the strike action. Despite rainy season district level rallies were organised at district headquarters by workers of all affiliations. The size of mobilisation in these rallies indicated spontaneous enthusiasm among the workers on the 16-point charter of demands. Though local demands were added by united movement at district levels, the main thrust was always on the common demands.

The state and the central government employees organised separate state-level conventions in which special problems of these employees were highlighted. The proposed privatisation of central government health scheme (CGHS) has brought together all the central government employees together to oppose the proposal which amounted to an attack on the social security benefits available to the employees. The privatisation of the pension scheme and the refusal of the central government to appoint sixth pay commission, outsourcing of government jobs to private contractors, ban on recruitment and non-filling up of the vacant posts have roused the central government employees against the government’s economic policies. The leaders of the confederation of central government employees have undertaken extensive tours all over India to campaign among the central government employees appealing to them to join the strike in large numbers. The leadership of the All India State Government Employees Federation has also prepared well this time and the strike of the state government employees will be quite widespread in most of the states. The state and the central government employees constitute over one crore employees in the country and the strike action would be quite effective among them this time.

AGAINST DISINVESTMENT AND PRIVATISATION

After the successful All India Convention in Kolkata on August 16, 2005, a concerted campaign has been launched among the public sector employees against privatisation and disinvestment. As a result of the firm stand taken by the Left parties against disinvestment in BHEL, the UPA government was forced to put on hold the policy of disinvestment in navaratna companies. However, union finance minister P Chidambaram has already announced his intention to raise Rs 10,000 crore rupees through disinvestment in profit making public sector undertakings. The UPA government was forced to withdraw the policy of strategic sale of public sector undertakings as was decided by the NDA government since every such sale has become scandalous by selling out valuable assets at throw away prices. Hundreds of crores of rupees passed into the hands of bureaucrats and ministers and the trade unions demanded thorough probe by the CBI in all these under-the-table deals.

P Chidambaram’s announcement that sale of 49 per cent equity of public sector units is not privatisation and his expression of UPA government’s determination to sell the equity in the name of raising resources for social development is not being accepted by the workers in public sector.

The public sector workers are dissatisfied due to downsizing of manpower from 23 lakhs to 18 lakhs while their jobs have been handed over to the contractors, who pay paltry wages to the workers and do not observe any labour laws.

A big campaign has been launched all over India by the workers of potentially viable but sick industries in public sector for their revival. Though the CMP has given solemn assurance that such units would be given necessary financial assistance for their revival, various revival project reports are lying with the government with no effort to give them clearance. A committee appointed by the UPA government for this purpose has not yet been able to take firm steps in the matter. The UPA government is not consulting trade unions of such undertakings which is causing deep resentment among the workers and they are coming forward to join the strike demanding early clearance of such project proposals so that these units could be made viable without any delay.

NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF LABOUR LAWS

Nearly six lakh coal mine workers who achieved good settlement after protracted all India struggle are also joining the strike with good strength to demand withdrawal of the Bill to denationalise coal industry. Already mafias have been given several coalmines and they are running them by paying workers low wages and creating poor working conditions. Nearly one third of the coal production is being done through contractorisation. Even contract labour is recklessly being introduced in prohibited categories in open violation of labour laws. Independent campaign launched in the coal mines by CITU unions is getting good response from the coal mine workers.

The trade unions in the country have time and again raised the question of non-implementation of labour laws in export processing zones (EPZs). The criticism made by the ILO on the complaint made by the CITU is not being taken into consideration and independent machinery to deal with the labour disputes in EPZs is  not being formulated so far.

Fifteen lakh bank employees have unitedly taken a decision to join the strike. Even the All India Bank Officers Association has decided to join the strike which will result in failure to even open the bank offices in several parts of the country. Efforts are being made to involve some organisations who have not yet taken a decision to join the strike. If that succeeds then bank strike is likely to be total in India on September 29.

Bank employees movement is unitedly fighting against central government’s move to permit 10 per cent FDI in private banks and up to 49 per cent in public sector banks. This step would handover the credit policy in the hands of MNCs and deprive small scale producers and agriculturists proper credit facilities.

The remarkable unity achieved among the insurance workers in support of the all India strike will make this strike total in this industry. Repeated programmes of agitations taken by the insurance unions under the leadership of AIIEA have created good enthusiasm among the insurance employees who are even helping employees in other sectors to prepare for the strike action.

STRUGGLE AGAINST MNCs

Medical sales representatives throughout the country have been involved in a sustained campaign in most of the pharmaceutical companies and a good strike is expected in this sector. The MNCs which dominate this industry will have to face the determined sales representatives under the leadership of FMRAI.

Over 5 lakh defence employees under the leadership of AIDEF are involved in powerful struggle against privatisation of defence industry. Over 90 ordnance factories and depots are likely to join this strike. Meetings and rallies are being held in all the civilian defence establishments which are receiving good response among the defence workers.

The employees of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) are making good preparations to join the strike opposing the move of the government to invite 74 per cent equity in the telecom sector. The opponents of the strike have been successfully isolated from among the workers and the BSNL workers will join the strike in a big way.

Lakhs of Anganwadi workers and helpers are fighting against low wages and bad working conditions. The promises given to them by the UPA government to improve their lot have remained on paper. The strike among the Anganwadi workers will be fairly good this time.          

MARCH OF UNORGANISED WORKERS                    

A new awakening is clearly visible among the unorganised sector of the workers who constitute vast majority of our working class. The promised Bill on Unorganised workers has not yet been finalised.  Whatever drafts are available are highly unsatisfactory and do not take required steps to improve the conditions of the unorganised workers. They are kept away from all the major labour and welfare laws. On the plea of abolition of inspector raj in the small scale sector, the labour laws are not being applied to them. All trade unions have united in demanding radical changes in the draft prepared by the government of India.

As a result of policies of globalisation the tiny and traditional sector of our economy is facing closure, resulting in lakhs of workers being rendered unemployed. Withdrawal of reservation of certain items of production has made them vulnerable in the competition with big industries. The removal of quantitative restrictions on imports have further made their condition precarious. Hence, the participation of these workers to protect their industry and jobs has acquired significance. The workers in this sector are coming forward in larger numbers in the nationwide campaign to popularise the September 29 strike action.

Major federations of port and dockworkers have not yet announced their support to the strike action. Efforts are continuing to request them to join the strike since waterfront is also earmarked for privatisation by the government of India.

The decision of the All India Kisan Sabha to organise rail roko and rasta roko on the demands of the peasantry has created a firm basis for worker-peasant alliance against the policies of globalisation. The agricultural workers unions are also campaigning to join the rail roko and rasta roko programme. The mobilisation of road transport workers in strike action has given a good fillip to the rasta roko programme. The united convention of peasants and agricultural workers on August 23 has created enthusiasm even among the general workers in India.

The enactment of Employment Guarantee Bill and stopping of disinvestment in navaratna companies have created confidence among the trade unions that through united movements they can pressurise the UPA government to accept legitimate demands of the workers. The working class of India along with main organisation of kisans, agricultural workers, women, students and youth will give a clear cut message to the UPA government that the toiling millions of India will not tolerate the policies of globalisation and the UPA government must adopt pro-working class and pro-people policies which alone will ensure steady progress in self-reliant economic development in the country.