Forward to 20-21 February Strike

EDITORIAL OF "THE WORKING CLASS", CITU JOURNAL

Forward to 20-21 February Strike

The working class of the country is gearing itself up for the countrywide strike on 20 – 21 February. The call for a two day strike by the joint trade union movement has evoked great enthusiasm which is evident in the preparatory campaigns and the action programmes which have been going on all over the country during the last four months.

This strike, the fifteenth since the advent of the neoliberal policies is part of the untiring efforts of the working class to force the government to heed to the demands of not just the workers but the crores of common people toiling day and night but find it increasingly impossible to make ends meet. By raising the demands of – immediate measures to curb the ever increasing prices, universalise the public distribution system, minimum wages, pension for all, social security for unorganised sector, strict implementation of labour laws, stop the inhuman contract system, disinvestment etc, the working class is seeking decent and dignified living for all the citizens of the country and protection of the sovereignty and self reliance of the nation.

It is for this reason that this strike has received immense support not only from the workers but also from other sections as well. The peasants, the agricultural workers’ organisations have decided to synchronise their protest actions – to go on strike on the same days – 20 – 21 February and organise massive demonstrations all over the country supporting these demands and also raising their other demands.

But the UPA government is determined to push ahead with its neoliberal agenda. It has announced a host of measures that would mount further burdens on the people by further escalating the prices and leading to loss of their livelihood – deregulation of diesel prices, cut down subsidies on fertiliser, curtailment of subsidised cooking gas, FDI in retail trade, direct cash transfers, further liberalisation of the financial sector, disinvestment, etc. It has passed the Banking Laws (Amendment) bill. The government has notified the national pharmaceutical pricing policy that will lead to huge increase in the already high prices of medicines making them out of reach for the common people. It has also brazenly announced its decision to postpone the implementation of the GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) up to 2016 thereby providing relief to the national and multinational corporate houses by allowing them to avoid payment of taxes by various means.

The anger of the people against the insensitivity of the government found its expression recently in Delhi on two occasions - the unexpectedly huge mobilisation in the joint trade union march to Parliament on 20th December and the spontaneous militant demonstrations on the issue of the gang rape of the young para medical student in Delhi. The huge participation of people, particularly of the young in the aftermath of the Delhi gang rape is an expression of anger against the insecurity faced by women in society as well as an outburst of the pent up discontent, anger, anxiety of the people particularly of the young about their futures.

The urge for profit maximisation by any and all means, a characteristic feature of neoliberalism has led to increased attacks on the rights of all sections of the working people. Together with the prevalent patriarchal attitudes in the society, these have also led to increasing violence against women and commodification of their bodies. The trade union movement has to fight against both neoliberal policies and patriarchal attitudes.

As a trade union committed to unite the entire working class for the emancipation of society, CITU has to fight both the neoliberal policies and the existing patriarchal attitude. While making all out efforts to ensure that the ensuing country wide joint strike on 20 -21 February turn out to be historic in the annals of the trade union movement of the country, let us also pledge to intensify our fight for women’s right to equality.