FLASH NEWS
28t h 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 right direction.
The Govt’s press release
mentioned, inter alia, certain issues in support of their unfounded claim.
1.
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?
2.
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?
3.
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 rights 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 rights 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 right-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 ?
4.
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 rights 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?
5.
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.
6.
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.
7.
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
