The leaders had met here to plan the workers’ second phase nationwide protest movement against the UPA Government’s economic and anti-labour policies. They are also required to keep in view the growingly complex national and international scenario leaving its deep impact on the life of working people, though initially they tended to ignore it.

The CTUOs have normally not been attaching importance to negative global economic developments but the 2008-09 global economic crisis leading to unemployment in many sectors of Indian economy did warn them about it. Therefore, now when again there is looming economic crisis in the United States with its visible ramifications all over developed European markets, India under UPA rule, already tied with these markets, may get again affected sooner or later. The CTUOs, while preparing for their National convention must keep track of it although Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) ON August 6 “not to panic”. The UPA-2 Government is always anxious to help industrial houses and ignore the sufferings of workers.

As the CTUO leaders, belonging to BMS, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, TUCC, UTUC and SEWA (Self-Employed Women Association) were meeting in Delhi, they received news about the nationwide protest strike of employees in the public sector banks (PSBs) and old private sector banks on August 5, as planned earlier. The strike was in protest against the ongoing and further proposed reforms. The strike had been called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella forum of nine trade unions including those of officers. The protest is against reforms such as dilution of Government shareholding in PSBs, increased voting rights to shareholders (large corporates) and outsourcing of jobs.

The impact of the Bank employees’ strike was visibly evident in the market and was taken note by media as well. The AIBEA leader C.H. Venkatachalam claimed that 10 lakh employees including officers had gone on strike in 65,000 branches all over the country. The strike had impacted clearing operations and the foreign exchange operations were also affected. Their success will be a guarantee against any global crisis overtaking Indian financial system. The 2008-09 global crisis experience is still fresh.

As the CTUOs’ leaders reach back their destinations after having planned for the National Convention, they will hear news about coalmen’s nationwide strike on August 8-10, in protest against privatisation of coal-belts and for their demand that the Bipartite Coal Wage Negotiation Committee should be immediately set up to start fresh negotiations on the next five-year wage settlement. The terms of the last five-year wage settlement has ended in June this year.

The CTUOs August 5 meeting did consider various options regarding the forms and dimension of the proposed second phase nationwide struggle. The meeting, however, advised all members not to reveal the contents of their deliberations so that there was no misunderstanding among members till they are able to evolve a unanimous decision on these matters including about collective demands. This was considered important because a vary large number of independent unions and federations were joining the nationwide struggle against the Government’s corporate-centric economic and anti-labour policies.

There is also a problem in bringing together in a common nationwide struggle not only the organised and the unorganised workers but even the organised workers themselves too. This is because of their differing issues, levels of struggle and varying levels of consciousness. The CTUOs’ joint struggle on the 5-point demand charter since July 2009 convention has played a significant role in bringing closer the organised working people in the first instance. They have also campaigned for social security for the unorganised workers. Understandably, because of vastness of the unorganised workers and their problems such as lack of jobs and impoverishment, coupled with insensitive ruler’s, their struggle will take much longer time to gain even minimum relief for them.

It is sometime said that most organised workers who due to their long struggles now enjoy lot of facilities, do not show enough sensitivity regarding the pains and sufferings of the large number of men and women workers employed in tiny, small and medium enterprises (SMEs); the sufferings of rural poor seem to be beyond their comprehension. Though this has been largely true but the division in the labour movement since Independence was mostly responsible for such a situation. The more significant point that needs to be kept in view is the coming into being of the joint platform of 8 to 10 central trade union organisations and federations which are working hard to make up for the lost time and rebuild the unity of workers.

The workers’ National Convention will be taking place at a time when the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has laid bare scams and corruption involving even rulers at the top. The cases of 2G spectrum scam and KG Basin oil exploration involving Mukesh Ambani causing loss of billions to the public exchequer were still under scan when CAG report on Commonwealth Games has pointed a finger at PMO for mismanagement.

In such a dismal state of economic management, the Workers’ National Convention will have to chart out the course of struggle. When the rulers seem to be becoming blind to massive corruption, CTUOs and federations’ task of nationwide struggle with have to be taken with full determination; they will now have immense popular support for it. (IPA)