Confederation News : Countrywide General Strike on 2nd September Stands
FLASH NEWS
28th August 2015
COUNTRYWIDE GENERAL STRIKE ON 2ND SEPTEMBER STANDS
CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS REASSERT THE CALL FOR UNITED ACTION
MARCH AHEAD UNITEDLY, MAKE THE COUNTRYWIDE GENERAL STRIKE ON 2ND SEPTEMBER A MASSIVE SUCCESS
After two rounds of discussion between the Group of Ministers and the
central trade unions on the 12-point charter of demands of the trade
unions held on 26th and 27th August 2015, the GoM headed by Finance
Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley sent an appeal through the press release
dated 27-08-2015 (Press Information Bureau) after 10 pm urging upon the
trade unions to reconsider the call for countrywide general strike on
2nd September 2015 claiming that the Govt has given concrete assurance
to consider most of the demands of the trade unions and that the trade
unions agreed to consider the Govt’s proposals. Similar appeal was also
made in the meeting of 27th August. Both the claims of the Govt are
totally incorrect.
To put the facts straight, the joint platform of central trade unions
have been pursuing with successive governments at the centre with their
basic demands since 2009 and observed three rounds of countrywide
general strike since 2010, the last being for two days in February 2013.
In the two rounds of meeting between the CTUOs and the Group of
Minister, nothing transpired in concrete terms except vague statements
by the ministers on steps to be taken or being taken on some of the
issues, that too not in the justify direction.
The Govt’s press release mentioned, inter alia, certain issues in support of their unfounded claim.
The Govt stated about “appropriate legislation for making formula based
minimum wages mandatory and applicable” for all. But despite concrete
pointers made by the trade unions that such formula should be what has
already been unanimously recommended by the 44th Indian Labour
Conference in 2012 and again reiterated by 46th Indian Labour Conference
in July 2015 in which the Govt of India is also a party, the Ministers
did not give any concrete commitment on the same. In fact said formulae
recommended by 44th ILC in 2012 and reiterated by 46th ILC in July 2015,
makes minimum wage around Rs 20000/- at 2014 price level and the Trade
Unions demanded only Rs 15,000/. The Ministers’ vague formulation does
not ensure even half of that. Is such a position worth consideration?
On contract workers, the Govt assured that they will be guaranteed
minimum wages. What is there to assure except spreading deliberate
confusion? Existing laws of the land lawfully ensures payment of minimum
wages to contract workers. The Govt’s statement regarding “sector
specific minimum wages for the contract workers” also does not make any
sense. The trade unions demanded “same wages and other benefits as
regular workers in the concerned industry/establishment to be paid to
contract workers.” The 43rd Indian Labour Conference held in 2011
recommended the same and 46th ILC unanimously reiterated the same in
2015, in which, again, the present Govt is a party. How could they deny
the unanimous recommendation of the highest tripartite forum in the
country like Indian Labour Conference?
The steps taken by the Govt on Labour Law amendments, are meticulously
designed to throw out more than 70% of the workers on industries and
other establishments from the purview and coverage of almost all basic
labour laws and also to eliminate almost all components/provisions of
justifys and protections of the workers. This was supplemented by more
aggressive steps already taken by a good number of state governments to
already amend the labour laws in the similar lines. On this issue, the
Govt stated only that they will hold tripartite consultation before
taking such steps. The trade unions demanded scrapping of such proposals
by the central govt and also not to give assents (through President) to
the unilateral amendments made by the state governments. Even in all
the tripartite consultations held on some of the proposals of the Govt,
the trade unions’ unanimous suggestions has been ignored by the Govt in
favour of loud supportive applauds of the employers. Once these
retrograde changes in labour laws totally dismantling the justifys and
protection measures for the workers and also throwing more that 70% of
the workers out of the purview of labour laws are enacted, thereby
rendering the almost entire working people a justify-less entity in
their workplace, what would ensure even payment of minimum wage and
other social security benefits for them, even if those provisions are
improved ? Can any trade union, worth its name accept such a machination
designed to impose conditions of virtual slavery on the working people ?
Despite repeated insistence by all the trade unions, the Govt refused to
concede to the demand for recognizing the Scheme workers, viz.,
Anganwadi, Mid-day meal, ASHA, Para-teachers and others as “worker” with
attendant justifys of statutory minimum wages and other benefits in
gross violation of the unanimous recommendation of the 45th Indian
Labour Conference in 2013, reiterated again by the 46th ILC in 2015.
These workers and all the schemes have been put to further crisis
threatening their existance owing to drastic cut in budgetary
allocations for those schemes. In such a situation, does the assurance
of the Govt to “extend social security measures” and “working out ways”
for the same carry any meaning?
On bonus issue, the Govt has assured to revise the eligibility and
calculation ceiling to Rs 21000/- and Rs 7000/- respectively from
existing Rs 10000/- and Rs 3500/-. Trade Unions’ demand has been that
since there is no ceiling on profit, all ceilings in the Payment of
Bonus Act should be removed altogether. Trade unions also demanded
substantial upward revision of the formula for gratuity calculation and
remove the ceiling on gratuity payment. The Govt has negated the
demands.
On price rise situation, claim of the Govt that it has gone down does
not match with ground reality in respect of commodities for daily
necessities of the common people. The demands of the trade unions for
putting a ban on speculation/forward trading in essential commodities
and services along with universalisation of public distribution system
throughout the country have been totally ignored.
Trade Unions demanded stoppage of disinvestment in public sector
undertakings playing crucial and supportive role in advancement of the
national economy. Govt totally ignored the same, rather has been going
on aggressively in disinvestment route in all the major PSUs much to the
detriment of the interest of the country’s economy. On the demands for
stoppage of further FDI in defence, railways and financial sector, the
stance of the Govt is continuing to be a total denial. Rather, the Govt
has been aggressively pursuing deregulation and privatization in
strategic sectors like electricity, Port & Docks, Airports etc in a
big way.
There are other issues as well, statement of Govt continued to be
totally vague and their claim is unfounded. How can anybody, rather any
trade union worth its name can consider above stands taken by the Govt
on vital demands of the workers as a positive development and move out
from the programme of united strike action ?
Therefore, there is absolutely no reason for reconsidering the decisions
of the Central Trade Unions for countrywide general strike on 2nd
September 2015. Rather, the situation demands that there should be no
vascillation in carrying forward the call for general strike on 2nd
September 2015 throughout the country in all sectors of the economy with
firm determination.
The Central Trade Unions appeal to all working people irrespective of
affiliations to make the call for countrywide general strike against the
anti-worker, anti-people policies of Govt a massive success.
Tapan Sen
General Secretary CITU
Source: Confederation News
90paisa article-2
