HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF 7TH SEPTEMBER STRIKE - M.K. Pandhe

A new chapter has commenced in the annals of the trade union movement in India when a united Convention of all the central trade unions was held in New Delhi on 14th July 2009 which chalked out a united programme of movement on five point Charter of Demands relating to the rise in prices of essential commodities, growing un employment, non-implementation of the Labour Laws, Social Security benefits for the unorganised sector workers by providing special fund and opposition to disinvestment of profit making public sector undertakings.

The series of programmes jointly taken up by all the central trade unions and industry wise federations have cemented this unity which has generated a great deal of enthusiasm among vast sections of the working class all over India. For the first time in the history of trade union movement such a spectacular all India unity has emerged.

There have been basic differences about the aims and objectives of the trade union movement and may continue in the near future. However, there are still vast number of issues on which there is common understanding among the trade union movement on which collective assertion by all is of paramount importance.

The disunity in the trade union movement has considerably brought down the collective bargaining strength of the working class in India. The employers and the Government had been ignoring the views of the trade union movement.

On several important national level committees which recommend policies to the Govt. viz. National Development Council, Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister, Delegations to United Nations and other important International bodies trade unions representatives do not find a place. In some of these bodies employers representatives have found a place which cannot be ignored by the trade union movement.

Hence, the remarkable unity achieved by the trade union movement has a special significance for not-only the economic demands of the working class. It will create definite impact on the national attitude towards the voice of the working class.

POWERFUL ASSERTION OF THE WORKING CLASS

The 7th September 2010 strike will reflect the powerful assertion of the working class of India not only on economic demands of the working class but also on those who decide the economic and social policies of the country. Both the employers and the Government cannot afford to ignore the assertive unity of the trade union movement in India highlighted in the 15th July 2010 Convention.

Though the BMS leadership found the date inconvenient due to their own programmes it is still a part of the united movement and rank and file of BMS unions will join with other colleagues in organising a powerful nationwide industrial action.

The deteriorating economic conditions of the working class has brought together all the trade unions on a common platform. With growing inequality in the country, the conditions of the vast strata of unorganised working class is likely to deteriorate further. With outsourcing, casualisation and contractorisation the threat to living standard of the working class is bound to increase further.

In such a situation the 7th September all India strike will give a clear cut message to the powers that be that working class of India would not tolerate the deteriorating living conditions and their resistance is bound to grow in future.

I was extremely happy to note that during the 15th July 2010 Convention all the leaders of the central trade unions spoke with one voice when they were pressing the need for organising nationwide strike on 7th September 2010.

This unity must reach every factory, shop, mine, establishment so that workers of all affiliations are brought massively in the countrywide strike action. The unity at the top must percolate to the bottom if the 7th September strike has to involve largest possible mobilisation of the entire working class of the country.

All the Central and State Government offices, all banks and insurance companies, all telecommunication and transport workers, all factories, mines, plantation, ports and docks, defence establishments, all public and private sector workers, all employees of MNCs and foreign corporate houses, all unorganised workers, all self-employed and domestic workers must join this action to make it a resounding success.

FURTHER CONSOLIDATION OF T.U. MOVEMENT

The 7th September strike will pave the way for further consolidation of the trade union movement at a national level. This consolidation is the need of the hour if the trade union movement in India has to advance further.

The 7th September strike will show to the entire country that despite political and ideological differences the working class can come together to protect their class interests. Workers can have political views of their own but they should not come in the way of achieving trade union unity on common issues facing the working class.

They may be local level or industrial level rivalry of sharp differences in approach among the trade unions. They should however, not come in the way of united preparation for the common nationwide action. Central trade unions will have to play a positive role if there are any difficulties in the matter of coming together.

Two weeks before 7th September 2010 local level unions should hold joint demonstrations to serve strike notices to the managements so that untied determination of the working class is forcefully focused all over India.

On the day of strike joint picketing and holding of demonstration and rallies should be organised to reflect the sense of unity and solidarity among the working class of all affiliations. There are several regional trade union organisations which are not part of the nationwide unity. They should be approached by our regional organisations so that their involvement in the strike action is effectively ensured.

Let us all strive together to make the 7th September 2010 strike an unprecedented success. This strike will make the whole country feel that the united working class is determined to play a major role in shaping the destiny of the country free from unemployment, poverty and exploitation.

Source: www.citucentre.org

SEPTEMBER 7TH HISTORIC GENERAL STRIKE ROCKS THE COUNTRY - Tapan Sen, General Secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions

The call for General strike of 7th September 2010 given by almost all the Central Trade Unions in the country viz., INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AICCTU, AIUTUC, UTUC, TUCC and the all India Federations of employees in telecom, railways, defence, banks, insurance, various public sector units, central and state govt offices and departments etc., has been magnificently responded to by the working class all over the country. It is an historic event of all in united countrywide strike action by all the trade unions in the country in which more than ten crore (one billion) workers representing all the sectors of the economy participated . The Central Trade Unions congratulate the working class for their whole hearted support to the strike call.

The General Strike of 7th September 2010 happens to be the thirteenth General Strike since 1991 against the disastrous fall out of the neoliberal pro-corporate policy regime on the life and livelihood of the mass of the toiling people and also on the national economy since 1991. The speciality of the thirteenth General Strike of 7th September had been that almost all the Central Trade Unions in the country have come together to give the call for countrywide general strike. In fact this all in united exercise by the trade unions has taken off a year back when all the Central Trade Unions in the country including INTUC and BMS held a national convention of workers on 14th September 2009 at New Delhi to unanimously formulate five point demands and gave call for observance of National Protest Day on 28th October 2009 which was followed by a massive demonstration before Parliament on 16th December 2009 and countrywide programme of picketing and Court Arrest on 5th March 2010 in which more than a million workers courted arrest throughout the country. 7th September’s General Strike is the culmination of these series of collective and demonstrative assertion by all the trade union centres of the country irrespective of affiliations and political lineages to carry forward the countrywide united struggle against the anti-people economic policies.

We must note here that the continuity of the initiative for building broadest unity of the working class against neoliberal imperialist globalisation by major section of the central trade unions and national federations of employees in industries and services since 1991 from the platform of Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions paved the way for this all in unity of trade unions. 12 countrywide general strikes by Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions since 1991 and numerous sectoral mobilisations and strike actions across the economy gradually prepared the ground for this in unity in the trade union movement. The mounting resentment amongst the mass of the toiling people against price rise, unemployment, retrenchment, repression on labour rights, rampant violation of labour laws, mass scale contractorisation of workplaces, etc – aggravated further by the pro-corporate policies of the Govt in the midst of deepening crisis and broadening inequity and disparity in the society along with consistent initiative by the major sections of the trade union movement in the country to unite and broaden the sphere of struggle and resistance, created the situation which brought together the national leadership of the Central Trade Unions in united platform for struggle. This unity for struggle has to be broadened and strengthened and taken down to grass root level to carry the struggle against neoliberalism to further height.

The strike call was given by the Central Trade Unions to press for five- point demands covering all sections of the working populace. They are : 1) urgent steps to curb the continuous price-rise through universalisation of PDS and banning speculation in commodity market, 2) Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws, 3) Concrete proactive measures to be taken for linkage of employment protection in the recession stricken sectors as a condition for the stimulus package being offered to the concerned entrepreneurs and for concrete steps against retrenchment, lay-off, contractorisation and outsourcing, 4) removal of all restrictive provisions based on poverty line in respect of eligibility of coverage of the schemes under the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act 2008 and creation of National Fund for the Unorganised Sector to provide a National Floor Level Social Security to all unorganized workers including the contract/casual workers 5) disinvestment of Shares of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) is not resorted to for meeting budgetary deficit and instead their growing reserve and surplus is used for expansion and modernization purposes and also for revival of sick Public Sector Undertakings.

The General strike of 7 September got converted into a complete BANDH in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. Notable. In all these three states there was spontaneous response and participation of the striking workers from all segments of work in processions and demonstrations on the strike day, defeating provocations and ploy to create disturbance and disruptions. All the districts and industrial centres in these three states witnessed massive rallies of the workers from all sectors and in many places joint processions by all the trade unions had also drawn the participation of common people from all walks of life. And mocking malicious campaign of the managers of the corporate controlled media that the general strike had been observed in only Left ruled states, the toiling people responded to the strike call in all the states of the country more vigorously both in terms of its coverage and sweep. Bandh like situation has also emerged in Assam and Jharkhand, Manipur and in substantial segments/districts of Orissa and Punjab owing to enmasse-participation by workers across the affiliations and massive support from people from other walks of life. In Punjab, Haryana and Orissa, roadways workers’ total strike has paralysed the normal traffic in both the states. In Mumbai, the commercial capital of the country, taxis and auto-rickshaws were off the road and the municipal workers were in total strike.

Impact of general strike was felt countrywide as in many of the major airports of the country numerous flights had to be cancelled or rescheduled. The overwhelming majority, around one crore(10 million) Govt employees in the country, both in central and state governments staged the biggest ever strike action countrywide in most of the state govt offices and establishments except in Rajasthan and partially in Madhya Pradesh. In the central govt sector, overwhelming section of employees in the telecom, postal departments, AG office, Income tax and audit offices joined the strike in a big way throughout the country braving threats and prohibition. More than eighty per cent of the defence sector employees working in 41 ordinance factories and depots under Army, Navy and Airforce, the MES offices and 50 DRDO laboratories all over the country have joined the strike action. In Bharat Electronics Ltd under defence ministry, strike was total in three units while in other units it was partial.

Another notable feature of the strike has been the noticeable participation of the unorganized sector workers in organizing road-blockade, rail-roko in different parts of the country and the frontline role of the women workers in the same. A big section of peasants and agricultural workers besides other mass organizations also took active part in the strike campaign as well as in militant demonstration on the day of the strike. In that sense, the 7 September strike became into a genuine peoples’ action throughout the country.

SECTOR-WISE THE IMPACT OF STRIKE CAN BE DESCRIBED AS UNDER:

• The entire financial sector covering the banks and the insurance companies witnessed almost total strike throughout the country involving around 20 lakh workers and employees.

• More than 10 million state govt employees, teachers, employees of state public sector, boards and corporations covering almost all states of the country participated in the strike in a massive way.

• Around two million central govt employees covering around 80 per cent of the workforce joined the strike. In Defence sector also strike was around 80%.

• Of the six-lakh coal-mining workers in nine companies, viz., ECL, BCCL, CCL, SECL, NCL, WCL, CMPDIL, Singareni Coallieries, etc around 80 per cent workers joined the strike action. In the non-coal mining belt as well, spreading over Jharkhand, Orissa Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, strike was near total.

• Strike by the telecom workers and employees under the telecom giant BSNL was more than 70 per cent throughout the country.

• In the Petroleum sector, both in upstream, refineries and in marketing strike was almost total in Eastern, North Eastern and Southern parts of the country and partial in North and Western India.

• In steel, strike was massive in Durgapur, IISCO and Visakhapatnam and partial in other places.

• In Ports at Kochi and Kolkata strike was massive while in other places it was partial.

• In the plantation sector throughout the country strike was near total.

• Unorganised sector workers in brick-kilns, head-load, beedi, and mandi-workers took part in strike in a big way, and they organised rail-roko and rasta-roko at various centres throughout the country.

• The construction workers, both from the organized and unorganised sector responded to the strike call in a big way.

• The construction workers in all the hydel-projects under construction in the state of Himachal Pradesh were on complete strike.

• Around fifteen lakh Anganwadi workers throughout the country also participated in the strike in a big way.

• Fishers and fisheries workers took part in the strike in terms of several lakhs throughout the country.

• The Transport workers, both from the state and private sector responded to strike call magnificently.

• Electricity workers joined the strike in a big way in most of the states.

• Overwhelming majority of the 1.5 lakh medical representatives in the country were on strike.

• Special Economic Zone of Visakhapatnam and one in West Bengal witnessed total strike.

• The Industrial Area of Gurgaon and Dharuhera of Haryana witnessed almost total strike despite all repression.

Statewide Details of the Strike is given hereunder: (Except West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura)

REPORT FROM STATES

ANDHRA PRADESH:

Strike was successful in the state. 6 out of 8 industrial areas in Hyderabad which were on complete strike. In other two, strike was partial. In Srikakulam district strike was substantial in three industrial areas. In Khammam district in thermal power station employees and engineers struck work for 2 hours. In Rangareddy district around one lakh workers of the industrial area took part in the strike action. In East Godavary district, Paper Mills workers were on complete strike. In Nalgonda 95% workers in the cement and all major industries joined the strike. In Karimnagar, 10000 powerloom workers were on strike and among the beedi workers and head-load workers strike was 60% and 50% respectively. In Ongole district 23000 industrial workers took part in the strike action. In Visakhapatnam, Hindustan Shipyard, Bharat Heavy Plates & Vessels and Hindustan Zinc, Dredging Corporation of India witnessed almost 100% strike. In Vizag Steel Plant strike was 90%, in Defence sector 70%, FSNL 70% HPCL 40%, and in vizag Port 40%. In the Special Economic Zone of Vizag, 100% workers joined the strike action. Among municipal workers strike was almost total. The Central and state govt offices were almost vacant. Anganwadi workers in all the projects in the state were on complete strike.

The mid-day meal workers and ASHA workers participated in the strike in a big way throughout the state except in few districts. Kakinada and Visakhapatnam Port was on partial strike. Among coffee workers, strike was hundred per cent. Rail roko and rasta roko was organised throughout the state. Railway and other workers demonstrated in different parts of the state.

ASSAM:

The strike was almost 100% in the state. In Guwahati, public vehicles including private city buses, autorickshaws were off the road. Workers picketed the Bus terminals and Railway station at Guwahati, Rangiya and Bongaigaon. Picketing workers, besides several leaders, including Tapan Sharma Secretary, Assam State CITU and Ananta Deka, MLA were arrested by the Police. More than 2000 workers were arrested throughout the state including Asit Dutta, President, Assam State CITU while organsing road-roko and rail-roko. In the Tea Gardens strike was unprecedented owing to joint initiative by CITU and INTUC. Bank, LIC, BSNL, Postal, Defence, Motor Transport and State and Central govt employees participated in the strike. In Oil India, Numaligarh Refinery, Coal India, Powergrid Corporation the strike is almost total. In BRPL, and Digboi strike was partial among the regular workers but the contract workers were on total strike.

BIHAR:

The strike was huge success in Bihar. Bandh like situation fell in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Purnea, Katihar, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Jhanabad. Bank, LIC, central & state government employees joined the strike enmasse. Strike in oil sector, including refineries was complete. In Patna, 80 per cent autorickshaws were off the road. Chakka jam was organized in Sahababad, Begusari, Patna and other places. Anganwadi workers were on strike in many districts. In Jamui, Beedi workers struck work enmasse and the women workers blocked the road for several hours. Rail blockade was organised in Patna and other places particularly in Northern Bihar halting train services. Hawkers took part in the rail-roko in Patna in a big way. Arun Mishra, General Secretary of Bihar State CITU, Rajkumar Jha, Secretary were arrested among others by Police.

DELHI:

Industrial areas of Delhi viz., Narela, Moregarh, Badli, Rajasthani Udyog Nagar, Jahangirpuri, Wazirpur, Mayapuri, Mongolpuri, Naraina, Kirtinagar, Patparganj, Friends Colony, Jhilmil, Badarpur, G T Karnal Road, Peeragarhi, Mayapuri, Azadpur, etc was affected in a big way by almost total strike action by the industrial workers. Road roko was organized in several places by the striking workers viz., G T Road, Sonia Vihar and Udyognagar, Anand Vihar Bus Terminal etc. In Jantar Mantar dharna was organized by a section of striking workers mainly FMRAI and Hotel workers. Around 35000 workers took part in processions at various places.

HARYANA:

Complete strike was in Haryana Road Transport Corporation and almost total strike in Electricity Board. Industrial areas in Panipat, Sonepat and Faridabad was severely affected by strike as all the major factories witnessed massive strike. In Faridabad 22 including small-scale Industrial Units with around 800 workers not in any trade union went on strike at the persuasion of CITU organisers. Haryana Agriculture University, Guru Tegbahadur University and Hissar Agricultural University were on total strike. At Panipat strike was substantial among the handloom workers, while in spinning mills, strike was around 50 per cent. 90 per cent municipal workers throughout the state were on strike. Contract workers at National Fertlisers and IOC Refinery at Panipat were on strike. Striking workers in the unorganized sector of brick kiln, forest, construction, etc brought out rallies in several places in the state and held demonstrations. Anganwadi workers were in strike enmasse throughout the state. In Hissar police lathi charged on the transport workers and 9 workers were arrested at Ambala depot. Most notable had been the strike in the industrial area of Gurgaon and Dharuhera, infamous for the repressive regime maintained by the administration-employers combine. Almost all the Major industrial units in that area viz., Honda, Hero-Honda, Hilux, Richo, Mandi-India, Satyam Auto, Lumax, RDC Concrete, Automax, Ranbaxy, Medicat, Dhanuka Pesticide, Vibha Global, etc, many of which do not have even trade unions witnessed spontaneous and total strike by the workers.

HIMACHAL PRADESH:

All the hydel project workers were on complete strike. The industrial areas of Solan, Parawanoo, Sirmour, Una reported massive response to strike call. Among Anganwadi workers in the state strike was almost total. The hotel workers at Shimla were in total strike. The central govt offices, banks, insurance, BSNL offices and medical representatives also reported total strike. Massive demonstration was held in front of all district headquarters in the state except one.

JHARKHAND:

Massive strike in Coal, Bank and Insurance sectors. Coal production and dispatch was totally paralyzed. Train services were badly affected owing to rail-roko agitation throughout the state. Petroleum transportation was also stopped. Complete strike was observed in Bauxite industry in Lohargada and Indian Explosives factory. Industrial areas of Adityapur and Gamaria were completely closed and more than 135 workers were arrested from the procession including Narendra Mishra, Vice President of Jharkhand State CITU. Strike was massive in the stone-quarries, crusher, private transport, beedi etc in Dumka, Pakur and Sahibgunj. Thousands of construction workers struck work in Ranchi, Gumla and other districts who staged militant demonstrations also. HEC and Bokaro steel plant reported partial strike among the regular workers but the contract workers were on strike enmasse. Road transport services were seriously disrupted. Markets were closed; workers of unorganized sector viz., stone quarries, Beedi, Construction, private transport etc participated in the strike in a big way. In all the places throughout the state, big processions by the striking workers paralised the city affecting particularly at Dumaka, Ranchi, Dhanbad and Jamshedpur.

KARNATAKA:

Impact of strike was quite visible throughout the state as both organised and unorganised sector joined the strike in a big way. Almost all the districts like South Kanara, Kolar, Mandya, Bellary, Belgaum, Mysore, Raichur, Tunmkur, Hubli Mangalore etc. witnessed massive rally of the strikers led jointly by leaders of CITU, AITUC, INTUC and others. State and Central govt employees participated in the strike enmasse. One lakh eighty thousand auto-rickshaws were off the road. In public sector units strike was partial. In major private sector companies in Bangalore and Mysore like Mico, ITC, Hindalco, Polyfibre, Rajashree Cement, L&T, Volvo Motors, Vikrant Tyres, Reid & Taylor, Wipro, Kirloskar Toyota, Hutti Gold Mines etc and in almost all medium and small factories, massive strike took place. Anganwadi workers, Beedi and construction workers took part in the strike and procession in a big way. In Banagalore, massive procession was taken out led by leaders of CITU, AITUC, INTUC, HMS, TUCC and AIUTUC.

MADHYA PRADESH:

Coal industry witnessed 80 per cent strike. In National Fertiliser Ltd in Guna, production work got paralysed owing to total strike by contract workers. In Jabalpur, in the Defence ordnance factory the strike was 95%. In BHEL, strike was partial. The industrial areas of Mandidip, Gobindpura around Bhopal, industrial units at Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Bina, Guna, Ratlam, Sehore, Devas, Ujjain, Nagda, Neemauch, Muraina, Bhind, etc witnessed massive rallies by the striking workers. The unorganised sector workers of Beedi, loading-unloading, rice-mills anganwadi, etc joined the strike in a big way. Medical representatives also joined the strike enmasse.

MAHARASHTRA:

The industrial centers of Navi-Mumbai/Thane, Nasik, Pune, Solapur, Ichhalkaranji, Nagpur , Aurangabad, Kolhapur etc reported massive response to strike call both from organized and unorganised sector workers. Taxis and auto-rickshaws were off the road in Mumbai owing to total strike by the concerned workers. 50 per cent workers of state transport (BEST) were on strike. In the Naval Dock 80% workers were on strike. Banks, insurance, anganwadi, home based, gram panchyat and electricity workers, medical reps joined the strike. Massive processions have been taken out by the striking workers at Mumbai (20000), Nasik (10000), Aurangabad (10000), Nagpur(1000), Solapur(10000), Kolhapur(10000), Thane (1500) Anganwadi, Asha, mid-day meal workers, Mthadi workers and railway contract workers and beedi workers took part in the strike throughout the state in a big way.

PONDICHERRY:

State Govt employees struck work. In 9 centres picketing was organised and 100 workers were arrested.

TAMIL NADU:

In Tamil Nadu, in almost all the major industrial establishment in and around Chennai, viz., MRF, Enfield, Carborandum Universal, L&T, Audco, Areva, Hindustan Motor, T I Diamond Chain, Taslet India etc, strike was almost total. In State Electricity Board strike was massive. Strike in Neyveli Lignite, BHEL, Salem Steel was partial. In Tiruppur garment industry area employing more than 3 lakh workers, the strike was total. The small & medium industrial estates throughout the country witnessed complete strike. In the textile and engineering sector of Coimbatore, massive strike took place. Auto-rickshaw strike was almost total throughout the state. Unorganised workers in construction, beedi, headload, handloom, tailoring also joined the strike in all the centres of the state. In Kanyakumari district 50000 cashew workers and more than 5000 rubber plantation workers were on strike. Rasta Rokos and Rail Roko was organised and at 150 centres in the state, in which 30000 workers were arrested. In Chennai from a massive road-roko demonstration of 3000 workers, A Soundarrajan, General Secretary of TN State CITU and S S Theagarajan of AITUC were arrested among others.

PUNJAB:

Total strike witnessed all over the State affecting all sectors, including power and transport. In road transport corporations and also in Punjab State Electricity Board, strike was to the tune of 80 per cent. More than 20000 Anganwadi workers took part in the strike and participated in road-blockade demonstrations in several places. The industrial centers of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mandigobindgarh, Hoshierpur, Amritsar,etc reported massive response to strike action by the industrial workers and the textile workers in particular. Almost all the industrial centres including Chandigarh witnessed massive demonstration by tens of thousands of striking workers. Rasta Roko and protest rallies were staged in several places in the state by the striking workers including Pathankot, Sangrur, Mansa, Batinda, Amritsar, Rajkot, Garshankar, Nangal, Ropar, Nawasahar etc. Workers of the unorganised sector, particularly from brick-kiln, anganwadi, NREGA, Mid-day meal, Asaha, Powerloom, contract workers etc responded to the strike call in a big way. Throughout the state roadblockade and Rail-roko were organised in 60 places.

RAJASTHAN :

Strike impacted the entire State in a big way. Response of strike was almost total where road transport workers paralyzed traffic throughout the state and affecting all the 21 depots. The industrial workers in all the industrial centers of Jaipur, Kota, Ganganagar, Jhunujhunu etc joined the strike in a big way. Notable was complete closure of operation in all the major cement plants in the state viz., Birla Cement, Chitore Cement, Ambuja Cement and J K White owing to complete strike. Also notable was complete strike in major Textile Mills viz., Pali, Ringas, Bhawani Mandi at Bhilwara. Strike in Khetri Copper Complex and J K Tyre. In Jaipur over 3000 workers took out procession. Unorganised sector workers in loading-unloading in the mandis also joined the strike paralyzing the transactions in the Mandi. At Bhilwara police clashed with the workers’ procession and arrested many.

UTTAR PRADESH :

All industrial centers of Saharanpur, Kanpur, Meerut, Bulandsahar, Bareli, Baranasi, Lucknow, Ferozabad, Farukhabad, Agra, Jhansi, Ghaziabad, Noida etc reported massive strike action and militant demonstration. In Ghaziabad site-4 strike was almost total while in the city at G T Road, Meerut Road, Dasna and Rajendra Nagar around 80 per cent workers went on strike. In Bharat Electronics Ltd, strike was 68%. In Noida strike was massive in phase-1and 2 and in Chaproula and the striking workers staged militant demonstration and blockaded the road for hours. In Chandouli, Bulandsahar, Varanasi, Kanpur strike of the industrial workers was sizable. State Govt employees also took part in the strike in a big way. Medical Representatives also took part in the strike in a big way.

UTTARANCHAL:

Strike in Jal Nigam, Gadwal Vikash Nigam, was partial. Strike in THDC was partial. Besides complete strike in BSNL, Banks, Insurance, defence establishments and Survey of India, strike was partial in BHEL and THDC. Anganwadi workers were on total strike. In Dehradun, sugar mill, Tea plantation and Hotels witnessed substantial strike. Sugar Mills in Haldwani and Panthnagar reported good strike action by the workers. Unorganised sector workers in anganwadi, Asha, contractor workers participated in the strike in a big way. In Rudrapur, three factories reported complete strike. In Gopeswar, Pouri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Almora striking workers from Anganwadi, Asha, Mid-day-meal, contract workers have staged demonstrations.

CHHATTISGARH:

The coal belt in the state reported above 75% strike on the whole. The privatised Balco witnessed almost complete strike both by regular workers and contract workers. The markets at Rajnandgaon and Dhamtari were closed owing to strike by all the workers. All the 102 warehouses in the state were almost closed due to strike. Beedi workers and Anganwadi workers also joined the strike in a big way. In Bhilai Steel Plant, all the entry gates were jammed by thousands of workers and 50 per cent contract workers did not join the work. Strike was massive among anganwadi, contract workers, construction workers, bedi workers and mandi workers throughout the state.

ORISSA:

Massive response to strike call was received from nine districts viz., Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Baleswar, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Ganjam, Jajpur Road and Angul and public transport were off the road. In the industries in these districts, strike was almost total. Mahanadi Coal Field witnessed massive strike. NALCO workers also joined the strike action in a big way. strike. In the iron-ore mines and sponge-iron belt of Orissa, strike was hundred per cent. In Rourkela Steel Plant, strike was partial. Transport sector workers joined the strike in a big way affecting normal traffic throughout the state. The Unorganised sector workers viz., anganwadi, construction, beedi, Asha workers, contract workers etc also joined the strike in a big way throughout the state and participated in massive rallies and demonstrations in several places.

MANIPUR:

A bandh like situation has emerged on the strike day as the passenger-bus services, auto-rickshaws and other private transport were off the road and all shops, markets and establishments were closed. No flight took off from Imphal Airport. The Govt offices, post offices, BSNL and A.G Offices were practically vacant owing to strike by the concerned employees. 15 workers, mostly women workers were arrested while picketing in the market.

JAMMU & KASHMIR:

A large procession of striking workers and employees from the industrial areas, banks, insurance, govt employees and other establishments started from Press Club at Jammu to converge at a mass rally at Indra Chowk. M Y Tarigami, President J&K State CITU addressed the rally.

GUJARAT:

Among the employees of banks, insurance and telecom, strike was massive. Among the industrial workers, strike call received a mixed response. Among the unorganised sector workers response to strike call was good.

In Ahmedabad, Baroda, Junagarh, Bhavanagar, Rajkot and Sabarkanthak massive rally and picketing was organised by striking workers. 152 were arrested at Bhavanagar, 102 at Ahmedabad, 60 at Rajkot, and 67 at Sabarkantak.

Source: http://www.citucentre.org/

NATIONAL FEDERATIONS PARTICIPATIONIN 7 SEPT STRIKE

Responding to the call of AIDEF, 70% workers responded to strike in Ordnance Factories, Defence Research and Development Organisations and also in the establishments under Directorates of Army, Navy and Air Force. In Dehradun, Jabalpur, Pune, Assam and West Bengal area many establishments remained closed due to 100% participation of the workers in the strike. Striking workers in all these places staged demonstration throughout the day. INTUC members under INDWF joined strikes in many areas whereas the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal tried to disrupt the strike by outsider strike breakers in Ichapur, Cossipur and Kakinara. Members of BMS (BPMS) in Kanpur, Allahabad, Muradnagar in Uttar Pradesh did not join strike.

ALL INDIA STATE GOVT. EMPLOYEES’ FEDERATION:

Strike was total in the Govt. offices in Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Desperate Govt. of Hriyana embarked on the striking workers with lathi charge and arresting. Tamil Nadu Govt. also arrested thousands of striking workers. Though strike in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab was partial but in Karnataks majority of workers participated. In Rajasthan demonstrative programme was observed all over the state.

CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES’ AND WORKERS:

Strike action elicited total participation in the states of Kerala, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya. Participation to strike of 80% employees was found in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chattishgarh and in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Orissa was partial. Employees of RMS division and a few other organisations in postal department in Delhi observed Strike.

BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION:

Overwhelming response was received from the bank employees all over the country causing a grinding halt of bank operation all over the country. Employees picketed before the gates of the banks, demonstrated there and conducted rally where the demands were described to the people.

ALL INDIA AUDIT & ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATION:

Employees in Allahabad (Accounts), Audit & Accounts units in Kolkata and Guwahati (accounts) observed total strike. Majority of employees in Kerala also participated to strike.

A good number of employees in Chennai (Accounts), Hyderabad and Mumbai joined strike. In Gwalior and Shimla the employees observed black day by holding lunch hour demonstration.

FEDERATION OF MEDICAL AND SALES REPRESENTATIVES’ ASSOCIATIONS OF INDIA:

Sales promotion employees participated in the strike in almost all states along with CITU and other organisations. FMRAI, members joined the rallies, picketing etc. along with other Trade Unions for making the strike successful. Strike action was visible in North Eastern States, Uttarakhand, Punjab along with other North Western states.

In Ahmednagar, Maharashtra Two of our leading functionaries were arrested for picketing in front of the managers’ of multinational company Abbott in the field when they were breaking the strike.

Source: www.citucentre.org.

WORLDWIDE WORKING CLASS ACTION ON SEPT 7 - R Arun Kumar

THE general strike organised on September 7 was a huge success in India and was an indication of the working class' angst against the economic policies pursued by the government. Many reports were carried in earlier issues that had dealt in depth about the response of the people of our country. While the working class of our country rose in unison to register their protest, on the same day, their brethren across the world too rose in protest to make their fury known.

INT’L SOLIDARITY AND ACTION

In response to the call of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), workers came out on the streets protesting the policies of their respective governments that are placing increasing burdens on their shoulders. Many protest demonstrations and mobilisations have taken place on that day in countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Palestine, Congo, South Africa, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, France, England, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and many others apart from our country. Hundreds of thousands of workers all over the world united their voices demanding a way out of the economic crisis – not at the cost of the working class but by punishing the capitalists responsible for this crisis. Working class of the socialist Vietnam and DPR Korea too expressed their solidarity with the protesting workers.

The WFTU called upon all the trade unions and progressive organisations of the world to participate in the International Action Day, September 7. Calling for coordinated, cooperative, international solidarity and action against the global economic crisis, WFTU had put out its demands: workers should not be made to pay for the crisis, retrenchment of employees and workers to be stopped, to stop the expenditure on military equipments and this money to be granted to the unemployed and the poor, to take immediate action on writing-off the debts of Third World countries, free and public health, education, food and water for all, public investment for the creation of jobs and taking immediate measures to satisfy the needs of the workers. Apart from these general demands, the working class of each country had its own particular demands based on the concrete conditions they are facing in their countries.

In France, one of the advanced capitalist countries, the right-wing Sarkozy government had launched a severe offensive on the working class and other common people of the country to 'bring the country out of the economic crisis'. It proposed a series of measures that are intended to withdraw many social welfare measures won by the working class through relentless struggles in the past. Protesting these attacks on their rights, more than 2.5 million workers participated in the protest demonstrations in the country held in more than 220 centres. This, in fact, ranks one among the big mobilisations of the working class in the recent periods, even topping the mobilisations in the month of June by more than 500,000. The country was brought to a standstill by the mass strike organised by the different sections of the working class.

The French strikes cut national rail services by about 50 per cent and disrupted underground train services in Paris. One in four flights at Paris airports was cancelled, a tenth of France's electricity output has been shut down, many schools and public buildings were shut for the day and even private-sector firms also reported a depleted workforce, with staff from the banking, car industry, oil and retail sectors taking part in the strike.

Immediately following this day of action, Sarkozy announced some concessions – broadening the categories of workers who will be 'exceptions', that is, able to keep their retirement age at 60. This includes workers who started work before the age of 18, as well as workers who can prove 10 per cent incapacity because of physically demanding jobs (earlier, it was 20 per cent). It was an attempt made under pressure of the mass turnout to show that the government is supposedly ‘open to negotiate’. Following this success, six of the eight French trade union federations (CGT, CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, UNSA, FSU) decided to go for another 'day of strikes and demonstrations' on September 23.

Working class actions in other countries too had a similar impact. In London, the strike of the metro workers brought the movement in the 'tube' to a virtual halt. The services of the Eurostar, the train connecting many countries of Europe, were also severely affected. Workers in Greece continued their protests against the IMF prescribed 'austerity' measures and against the increase in VAT, electricity and oil rates. Similarly, in many countries across the world, the working class continued its protests against the recent onslaught launched by the ruling classes in the name of the global economic crisis.

INCREASING BURDENS

The public sector employees of South Africa struck work for more than three weeks demanding better working conditions and an increase in pay. The resoluteness of the striking workers forced the president of the country, Jacob Zuma to intervene and initiate measures for meeting the demands of the workers. Teachers in Saudi Arabia, 'a conservative kingdom', rallied against the increasing unemployment in the country. Miners in Russia, Poland, Spain, airport employees of Israel and England, transport workers in Kuwait, Greece, factory workers in South Africa, New Zealand, England, Spain, Portugal and many other countries have registered their protests in the first ten days of this month. All these protests reiterate the fact that the ruling classes are imposing more and more burdens on the toiling sections of the world.

Along with attempts to cut down social welfare measures, the ruling classes are trying to divide the working class on chauvinist lines. The expulsion of Roma immigrants from France is an example of such attempts. Though these measures are in contravention to the declared policy of European Union, there is no real attempt to stop France from implementing it, except for issuing an official condemnation. The real intention of the French government is to divert the attention of the working class from analysing the real causes for their present hardships and also to break their unity. The failure of the ruling classes in Europe to learn from the lessons of history (the rise of fascism and Hitler) show to what extent they are ready to go to protect their hegemony.

The ruling classes that are actively encouraging the growth of extreme right-wing forces in their countries are on the other initiating steps to curb the growth of communist parties and their popularity. It is a fact that communist parties in many of the European countries are not the same force as they once had been. During this period of economic crisis, people are coming out in protest actions at their own initiative and at times are even pushing the trade unions to announce militant protest demonstrations against the offensive of the ruling classes. Among the workers, there is a visible sense of discontent against the social-democrat leadership of the various trade unions and confederations for their failure to lead militant protests.

GROWING INTEREST IN MARXIST THEORY

In this conjuncture, once again people are showing a growing interest upon communist parties and Marxist theory. The ruling classes afraid of this growth of revolutionary ideas and sensing danger immediately resorted to ban the usage of communist symbols, as in Poland and Hungary, and the parties themselves, as in Czech Republic. There are also efforts to place severe restrictions on the functioning of the communist parties as can be discerned from the moves initiated against the Communist Party of Greece by the Socialist government there.

It is in this context that the protest demonstrations witnessed on September 7 assume their importance. The demonstrations worldwide once again point to the extent of discontentment that is rising among the working class against the attacks on their rights. One of the many positive features emanating is that the working class is not ready to rest on the success of one-day action – a call was given to organise demonstrations once again on September 29. The working class is realising the importance of organising sustained struggles. The demonstrations held in France show that it is not that easy to break the ranks of the working class. They also show that history will not forgive us, if we fail to give a proper direction to these struggles: prepare them to struggle not only for their economic demands but for a systemic change.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org

NATIONWIDE STRIKE CALLED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 BY MAJOR TRADE UNIONS

NEW DELHI: The nationwide strike, called for September 7 by major trade unions, including the INTUC affiliated to the Congress, will be the largest show of strength of the organised movement to protect the rights of workers and the ruling UPA must heed the voice of the people, Communist Party of India's parliamentary party leader Gurudas Dasgupta said on Thursday.

Never before has the Indian National Trade Union Congress joined the call for a strike, and its president G. Sanjeev Reddy is a party to a joint declaration adopted by nine trade unions at a national convention here. Despite the unions' repeated demand for effective steps to check the sharp rise in the prices of essential commodities, the Centre had not responded.

On earlier occasions, the INTUC chose not to strike work arguing that it would lead to loss of production, but now decided to join hands with the other unions, he said.

While the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, which owes allegiance to the BJP, pulled out, the other unions, including the CPI-affiliated All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), the All-India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), the Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), the All-India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the United Trade Union Centre (UTUC) and the Labour Progressive Front (LPF) have backed the call.

Besides highlighting price rise, the declaration also demanded strict enforcement of basic labour laws and condemned the increasing practice of contract labour and outsourcing and disinvestment of the public sector enterprises.