(Here we bring you the second part of a collation of some of the highlights of previous conferences of the CITU. The last part will appear in the March 2013 issue of the Working Class)
Kanpur Conference
The Fifth Conference of CITU was held in Kanpur, the historic industrial centre of many struggles in the pre independent India; from 13 to 17 April 1983. This Conference coincided with the death centenary year of Karl Marx and the Conference called upon the delegates to assimilate his teachings and carry forward the message to the grass roots level to expose conspiracies of imperialism led by USA. Among the foreign delegates in the Conference were those from Soviet Union and Peoples Republic of China. Among those greeted the conference was Com. Indrajit Gupta, General Secretary AITUC and O.P. Aghi Secretary BMS. On behalf of All India Kisan Sabha, Com. Harkishan Sigh Surjeet greeted the Conference. 2196 delegates including 57 women, 43 observers and 16 fraternal delegates attended the conference. 1069 delegates had been to jail. Com. BTR was reelected as President and Samar Mukherjee was the new General Secretary. Com. PR was one of the eleven Vice Presidents. Com. E. Balanandan was elected as Treasurer. Totally there were 20 secretariat members. Com. BTR in his concluding address referred to the increasing lockouts and called upon the delegates “to convert the anti lock-out struggles into democratic struggles against this anti-social Act of employers”. Referring to the formation of National Campaign Committee and the country wide general strike on 19th January 1982, he said that the consciousness about unity and united struggles is growing and that is a welcome feature.
Sixth Conference at Mumbai
The Sixth Conference was held in Mumbai, 18-22 May 1987. This was the second time Mumbai was hosting the Conference. The period after the fifth conference was a period of rapid changes in our country and the world. The conference noted that because of persistent efforts and overcoming many obstacles, the struggle for trade union unity has been successful and this unity has been strengthened. It was also noted that inspite of various endeavours, “United strength of working class has not succeeded in stunning the tide of economic offensive”.
The period after fifth conference was a period of fight against communal, divisive and disruptive forces and CITU committees and unions have been in the forefront of struggle against these forces.
This conference reiterated the clarion call for formation of a “Confederation of Central Trade Unions, and national federations, where all issues concerning labour and economic policy can be discussed freely and decisions taken unanimously”.
A full day session on issues of working women was held.
Com. Jyoti Basu, third time Chief Minister of West Bengal and Vice-President, addressed the conference, exhorting the delegates to be more organized, united and politically conscious, against the policies of Central Government, which were increasingly directed against the working class. He explained the relation between left front government in West Bengal and the working class, Com. Jyoti Basu, said that the Govt. has called upon the employers to meet genuine demands of workers, otherwise workers will be compelled to resort to agitation and strikes.
Com. B.T. Ranadive, Samar Mukherjee and E. Balanandan were reelected as President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Out of the total 26 Secretariat members, there were 3 women – Sushila Gopalan, Ahalya Rangnekar and Vimala Ranadive.
The Conference venue at Mumbai was named after Com. V.P. Chintan a senior leder of CITU from Tamilnadu. He died in Moscow on 8th May, where he had gone on behalf of CITU to attend May Day celebrations.
2366 delegates and 80 observers attended the conference among them 134 were women. 1114 comrades were attending the conference for first time and 209 had attended all the five previous conference.
Seventh Conference
Calcutta hosted the Seventh Conference, from 13 to 17 February 1991. This was the second time the Conference was being held there, the first being the foundation conference.
21 years after the foundation conference, the working class was facing new challenges. This was the first time, CITU was holding its conference without Coms. BTR and PR amongst the delegates. Com. Jyoti Basu presided over the inaugural session.
The Conference noted the increase in membership despite increasing closures. Com. Samar Mukherjee stressed the need for collective and democratic functioning at all levels.
Com. Jyoti Basu, in his concluding speech, referred to the dangerous growth of communal and divisive forces and called upon the working class, to defeat and isolate them. He laid stress on bringing the workers in the unorganized sector into the fold of trade union actions.
The Conference elected Coms. E. Balanandan and M.K. Pandhe as President and General Secretary. Both of them were members of the Secretariat from the foundation conference. Ranjit Basu was the new treasurer.
The Conference concluded with a mass rally at Brigade Parade Ground on 17th. CITU membership crossed 20 lakhs by the time of this conference. 2341 delegates and 121 observers attended the conference. There were 121 women participants in the conference.
Working Womens Convention
A separate convention of working women was held prior to the conference, on 12th and 13th February, attended by 475 delegates from 18 states. This was the new beginning of having separate convention of working women at national level after the separate sessions in conference, which stated in 4th Conference in 1979.
Patna Conference
The Eighth Conference was held in Patna, from 3 to 7 March 1994. The clarion call of the Conference was to further strengthen the united movement of Trade Unions and also to strengthen the united movements with other mass organizations. Stepping up the actions against the IMF prescribed policies of the Narasimha Rao Govt. was the need of the hour. This was the message from the conference.
Presided by Com. E. Balanandan, the conference was inaugurated by Com.Jyoti Basu, Vice-President and Chief Minister of West Bengal. The mass rally was held in the afternoon.
Nine Commissions were formed to discuss various important issues. Conference held detailed discussions on the new economic policies.
In his concluding address Com. E. Balanandan pointed out that “Unity of the T.U. movement to-day is reflected not only for defending the rights of the working class but for defending the unity and integrity of the country and its sovereignty. The fight against all round offensive by imperialism is therefore to be further strengthened and given shape of mass actions”.
Com. E. Balanandan and M.K. Pandhe were reelected President and General Secretary. Com. Saroj Choudhary was elected Treasurer. There were 16 Vice-president and 20 Secretaries.
2031 delegates from 21 States including 133 women attended the Conference.
Ninth Conference
Kochi hosted the CITU Conference for the second time from 21-26 April 1997. “Towards big battles against Globalisation and Liberalisation” was the call of the ninth conference.
Building up the unity of the working class was stressed in the sessions of the conference. A Seminar on T.U. unity in the struggle against the New Economic Policy was held which was addressed by leaders of other Central TUs including A.B. Bardhan (AITUC). AITUC and HMS proposed immediate merger of central TUs in the seminar. CITU emphasized the need of formation of a confederation of all central T.Us, which would further pave the way for formation of a singe national T.U. centre in the country. There were six commissions, discussing various important subjects.
On 20th April, fifth Convention of working women was held. 307 delegates from 17 states attended. Com. E.K. Nayanar, Chief Minister of Kerala, addressed the Delegate Session and the public rally. 2409 delegates attended the conference. 178 were women.
E. Balanandan, M.K. Pandhe and Ranjit Basu were elected President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Total Secretariat members were 36.
(to be continued.......compiled by AKP)
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