People's Democracy

KARNATAKA

Public Sector Workshop Held

A WELL-ATTENDED state level organisational workshop of public sector trade union leaders and activists was successfully held at BEL workers union office, Bengaluru. The workshop was inaugurated by Tapan sen, MP and all India secretary of CITU. Tapan sen in the inaugural address said that in the era of globalisation, the policy directions of government of India are directed to dismantle public sector. These policies are guided by World Bank and IMF to benefit the multinational companies. Since 1991, new economic policy adopted by the then finance minister and present prime minister Manmohan Singh aimed at attacking public sector. As soon as new economic policies were launched, CITU properly analysed the inherent dangers and tried to mobilise workers and other trade unions, hence sponsoring committee of trade unions was formed, he said. Since 1991, during these 16 years, 11 all India general strikes were conducted successfully. If these all India strikes had not been organised, 80 percent of public sector industries in the country would have been privatised or closed. In this situation it is necessary to further intensify the struggle. For this well equipped organisation is necessary, Tapan Sen said.

Organisational workshop was attended by trade union elected leaders and activists in central and state public sector industries. Members representing permanent workers of BEL, BHEL, VISL, BSNL, BEML-KGF,BG Complex, Mysore , Hutti gold mines and also contract workers’ leaders representing BEL,VISL,BSNL attended. Prasannakumar, state secretary CITU presided over the workshop and presented the background paper for discussion. N Sukumaran pillai, legal advisor BEL workers union, Rangegouda, president VISL workers union, C K Gundanna, circle general secretary, BSNLEU, K N Umesh, CITU Bangalore district secretary, K Mahantesh , state secretary BSNL non permanent workers union and Shivananda, leader, Hutti gold mines employees union were on the dais and participated in the discussions.

The workshop formed a co- ordination committee of Karnataka public sector trade unions. S Prasannakumar, is the convener of the committee. N sukumaran pillai(BEL), Rangegouda (VISL), C. K. Gundanna (BSNL), Srinivasan, Anuradha murthy, Malleshappa, Sharanappa (BEML), D Vinayakam (BHEL), V S Krishnamurthy, Bustalimat, A Pinto (BEL), Gopinath (ITI), K Mahanthesh (BSNL-contract ), Shivananda (Hutti gold mines), Mulla (HLL), Muniraj(oil and gas contract) are the members.

The workshop decided to bring a bi-monthly bulletin for better communication of developments in the public sector. A bulletin committee was formed with N Sukumaran Pillai as convenor, and Srinivasan, C K Gunddanna, Mahantesh, K Subramanyam as members.