The Convention Declaration has been jointly endorsed by the leaders of INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, BMS, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA. The Declaration has given a call for “multiple forms of acton” such as satyagraha, jail bharo, mass squatting etc in all state capitals and industrial centres on November 8, 2011. It also proposes to eventually prepare for countrywide general strike “as early as possible”.

Addressing the Convention, HMS leader Umraomal Purohit was happy at the huge turn out of workers at the convention and considered it to be “the sign of success of our struggle against Government policies”. He said, Government economists boast about GDP growth more for foreign consumption but “in fact, they shy away to see actual conditions of their own people”.

The INTUC chief Sanjeeva Reddy MP accused the UPA-II rulers of remaining passive towards workers’ sufferings and stressed the need to maintain unity and build a strong movement of workers.

SEWA leaders Malini Shah proposed that trade unions should also be concerned about rag-pickers, working widows, anganwadi workers, since price rise was adversely affecting them the most. Nor they have any social security, she pointed out.

CITU leader Tapan Sen expressed the view that the Government was creating price inflation through speculators which itself was a form of corruption. He pointed out that more than Rs 5 lakh crore tax exemptions were being given by the Government to corporate houses annually.

AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said that workers should give “a jolt to the Government with full vigour and strength and unbreakable united action.” He suggested, “we must create a force of 25 lakh worker-volunteers who will be ready to go to jail.” If Anna Hazare’s fast could force the Government to act against corruption, he said, workers’ vigorous united struggle too could force the Government to change its anti-worker and anti-people polices.

NATIONAL CONVENTION: JOINT DECLARATION

The national convention of workers being held on September 7, 2011 at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi noted with serious concern that despite several rounds of united protests by the entire trade union movement of the country, the government has remained totally unresponsive to major concerns of the working people.

Practically no step has been taken by the government to address the basic demands of the workers being pressed through a joint memorandum by the central trade unions to honourable Prime Minister and the Lok Sabha Speaker and various other joint countrywide programmes.

Rather, aggressive moves are being taken to further aggravate the rise in prices through frequent hikes in prices of petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene. Disinvestment of shares of public sector units is being actively pushed through by the Government to facilitate phased privatization of the highly profit-making PSUs. Existing labour rights including right to form union and right to social security and pension are sought to be curbed through various legislative and administrative moves. Mass scale contractorisation of regular work is continuing in all the workplaces including in PSUs and Government establishments. Contract workers are not being paid in most of the places even the statutory minimum wages which is very low to meet the basic requirements for a human living.

The national convention also expresses its serious concern over the flaring up of rampant corruption all around and huge black money generation in the economy and seeks to draw the attention of the Government to the widespread popular discontent and disgust over the issue of corruption demanding concrete legislative and administrative measures and change in the economic policy regime to eradicate and prevent corruption and bring back the black money stashed abroad.

The national convention calls upon the working people of the country to further widen the unity achieved through united struggle and launch united protest against the unresponsive approach of the Government through intensified countrywide struggles.

While reiterating the five-point demands formulated jointly by the central trade unions and federations for concrete measures viz., to contain price rise, concrete measures for linkage of employment protection with the concession or incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs, strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws, universal social security cover for the unorganized sector workers without any restriction and creation of a National Social Security Fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendation of NCEUS and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and stoppage of disinvestment in Central and State PSUs, the national convention of workers also demands:

Immediate action by the Government of India to ensure no contractorisation of work of permanent or perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of the industry or establishment; amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs 10,000 per month with indexation; removal of all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident fund; increase the quantum of gratuity; assured pension for all; and compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days and immediate ratification of the ILO Convention Nos 87 and 98.

To press the above demands and to prepare for higher level of united action, the national convention decides to hold countrywide multiple forms of action such as satyagraha, jail bharo, mass squatting, etc, in all the state capitals and industrial centres on November 8, 2011.

The national convention also calls upon all the trade unions and workers and employees in general irrespective of affiliations to hold state-wise and industry-wise conventions to make the above programme a total success and prepare for countrywide general strike as early as possible in the next phase. (IPA Service)