FLASH NEWS
28t hAugust
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 44thIndian 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
No comments:
Post a Comment