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 45thIndian 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 existence 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