TAMILNADU: Successful Struggle for Housing Pattas - S P Rajendran

TAMILNADU: Successful Struggle for Housing Pattas - S P Rajendran

TOWARDS the end of September, a massive protest of downtrodden people particularly poor farmers and agricultural workers was held demanding land and housing pattas across Tamilnadu. More than 50 thousand of people laid siege in front of the taluk offices at various centres under the leadership of the Tamilnadu Vivasayikal Sangam (Kishan Sabha) and the AIAWU.

Nearly 25 lakhs of families in the state are living without a small piece of land or housing patta. They are living in porompoke land or in very small rented rooms. Majority of the porompoke lands or the so-called rental houses are situated on the banks of huge drainage channels; the road sides and in the dried lands near water bodies. Ironically, in the state of Tamilnadu, the project of giving pattas for the landless poor is in implementation for the past 50 years.

While the price of land is rising sharply as the real estate players’ speculative trade has been spreading without any control, not only the poor people, but even the middle class people too are not able to buy a piece of land for their own housing.

In this background, TNKS and AIAWU in Tamilnadu are continuously fighting for the free housing patta and land patta for the poor and landless. Recently, on September 12, the leaders of both the organisations K Balakrishnan MLA, P Shanmugam, A Lazar, MLA and G Mani had met Tamilnadu revenue minister and submitted a detailed report on the state of housing patta project. They demanded the distribution of waste lands to the lakhs and lakhs of landless poor and reiterated their demand for extension of the time limit to give pattas.  They also wanted the government to distribute pattas for the traditional dwellers who are living in the lands owned by the temples, churches, mosques, mutts and trusts.

After this, the TNKS and the AIAWU gave a call to siege the government offices till the protesters receive the pattas. Responding to the call, thousands of poor farmers and landless farm workers laid siege on September 26.

At various places, the government authorities responded positively to the demands and assured the protesters to identify the patta lands.

In some places, the protest continued even in the night. Particularly in Tambaram, near Chennai city, hundreds of people from Thiruneermalai town panchayat decided to wait in front of the taluk office till they get a response to their demands. The militant struggle lasted for six days. TNKS leaders and members of 136 families resolutely observed sit-in-wait and made the premises their social kitchen, took bath and food there. The officials had no other choice but to consider and accept their demand for pattas. At last, on the sixth day evening, October 2, the revenue minister of the state and authorities announced that the government accepts the demand and ministers of the government would be giving pattas directly to the people.    

The people of Thiruneermalai, who were unable to win pattas for the past 50 years, thanked the TNKS and its leaders. Earlier, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) conducted a demonstration in support of the struggle in Tambaram.

ANTI-DOWRY CONVENTION AT VIRUDHUNAGAR

RESPONDING the call of the Central Committee of the CPI(M) to expose and agitate against the crimes on women, the Party’s Virudhunagar district committee in Tamilnadu had organised a massive public convention against the menace of dowry on September 26.

Central Committee member of the CPI(M) U Vasuki has voiced concern over the deteriorating status of women in society.

Speaking at the convention, she said marriages and human rights were becoming a business. Educational system should focus on the significance of social justice, equality of men and women and on moral values, she said.

The Party would fight crimes against women and for the equality of women. Vasuki called upon the people to join hands with the Party since the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) never bothered about the basic problems of the people. Even while the country was making rapid strides in various fields, there was no corresponding improvement in the status of women, she noted.

G Ramakrishnan, CPI(M) state secretary, said the Party has always been raising its voice against violence on women and striving for equality of women on all fronts. There has been no end to the agony of women in homes and in society in view of the dowry menace, and other atrocities against them outside their homes.

Eight persons who had married without demanding or accepting dowry were honoured on the occasion.

AIDWA state general secretary P Suganthi and others spoke. Earlier, J J Srinivasan, town secretary, welcomed the gathering. District secretary A Sekar presided. State committee member S Balasubramaniyan, K Arjunan and others participated.

TAMILNADU - TNUEF CONVENTION DEMANDS HALT TO DIVERSION OF SUB-PLAN FUNDS

Ganesh

THE experience of the last 20 years shows that the Sub-Plan (earlier Sub-Component Plan) in the budget for SC/STs had been an eyewash. Though the process has been started by the Planning Commission 31 years ago, the Tamilnadu government took up this agenda only 20 years back. It was accepted in principle. That is all. Only in the last two-three years, the allotment of funds has been made. It was a mere ritual and even in that ritual process, STs were left out. The new government led by the AIADMK has now allotted funds for ST Sub Plan in the budget for 2011-2012.

The TNUEF that has taken up many issues of atrocities had decided to take the issue to its logical conclusion. It is an open secret that in the last 20 years, the funds that were meant for the upliftment of the oppressed sections have been diverted to other purposes. For the Commonwealth games, without any shame, this fund was utilised. Those who are in power have minted a lot of money through it, is a different story. In Tamilnadu, when the new hostel for the MLAs was constructed, in an unmindful manner, funds that were meant for dalits' welfare were diverted for construction of 44 houses. 44 legislative assembly constituencies are reserved for SCs in the state. This shows the utter callousness on the part of the state government. This was criticised by the TNUEF on earlier occasions. All the houses should have been constructed using the common fund, the TNUEF said.

The TNUEF had decided to organise a special convention on this to draw the attention of not only the government, but also the people of the state. The convention was held on August 10 in Chennai. A charter of demands was released during the deliberations. Earlier, a draft for the charter was circulated widely to get the inputs from various organisations, social thinkers, intellectuals etc. B V Raghavulu, vice president of KVPS, (Struggle Committee Against Caste Discrimination) Andhra Pradesh had released the charter of demands.

A rousing speech was delivered by him after releasing the charter. He exhorted the TNUEF to organise people's committees to monitor the funds whether they have been utilised for the earmarked project or have been diverted for other purposes. Further, in Andhra Pradesh, a big lake was created with the funds meant for dalits’ welfare. Even the earlier allotments and diversions should be exposed. An enquiry commission is necessary to find out the various problems faced by the dalits that includes the living conditions. The whereabouts of 12 lakh acre Panchami lands should be found out. The enquiry commission should go through the records of it. The experience of Andhra Pradesh is that due to the formation of an enquiry commission, many facts have come to light. Earlier, we were fighting for pattas, which gives land rights to the dalits. The demand has come now that we should fight to retrieve the lands that belonged to them, he said.

In his introductory speech, P Sampath, president, TNUEF, has castigated the Adi-Dravidar Welfare Department for merely collecting information. This department should become a monitoring agency for the expenditure of Sub-Plan funds. Just giving some concessions will not uplift the oppressed classes. Hence the need for Sub-Plan. To achieve the goal of this Plan, all democratic forces should come together to ensure its proper implementation. Because, this is not a caste issue, but a democratic issue, he said.

The CPI(M) will raise the issue of non-allocation of funds in the assembly, said A Soundarrajan, CPI(M) leader in the Tamilnadu assembly. He questioned the process of sale and purchase of dalit lands. The lands that were allotted to the dalits cannot be sold or purchased. With this law, how come lakhs of acres of lands have changed hands, he asked. Irrespective of buyers, even if they are in high positions, the lands should be brought back to dalits, he said.

P Shanmugam, state general secretary, AIKS, has charged that the Tamilnadu government is the only government that did not implement the Forest Rights Protection Act. Even in the present budget, there is no mention of it. S K Mahendran presided over the convention. Ex-IAS officers Sivakami, Karuppan, Manivannan, TN government additional secretary Christhu Das Gandhi, Fr Kumar, Nicolas, K Bhimrao, MLA, Jakkaiyan of Arunthamizhar Viduthalai Iyakkam and many other leaders took part in the event. The huge meeting hall could not accommodate the audience since thousands of people had assembled from all over the state. At the end, K Samuel Raj, general secretary, TNUEF had announced that a demonstration will be organised in all the district headquarters to demand the proper allocation and expenditure of the Sub-Plan. The audience approved it with thunderous applause.

The convention had passed many resolutions that include demanding a white paper on the expenditure of funds, demanding MPLADS and MLA funds to be spent for dalit welfare schemes, documentation of the lives of the historical personalities from the oppressed communities, demanding the government to conduct campaign on Atrocities Prevention Act, allotting more time in assembly and in local bodies to discuss the issues faced by the dalits etc.

Courtesy: People’s Democracy

TAMILNADU: HUGE CHIDAMBARAM RALLY MARKS AIKS 75 YEARS

Dr T Raj Pravin

THE town of Chidambaram witnessed celebratory events on July 31 marking the 75th year of the formation of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). However, the celebrations had begun a week before, when AIKS flags were hosted in ten thousand villages of Tamilnadu. Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar was the chief speaker at the public meeting organised by Tamilnadu Vivasaigal Sangam, state level affiliate of the AIKS. The meeting began with the welcome address by G R Ravichandran, district secretary of the AIKS.

As a part of the AIKS 75th anniversary celebrations, a sacrifice torch was brought from Thiruvarur; it was here that Tamilnadu Vivasaigal Sangam was started in the past. Also, a Venmani torch toured across the state, highlighting the earlier peasant struggles in the Cauvery delta region. Both these torches were handed over to dignitaries on the dais. The services of senior peasant leaders were appreciated as a part of the function; they were presented mementos and gifts on behalf of the AIKS.

More than ten thousand peasants from across Tamilnadu attended the public meeting and on this occasion the temple city of Chidambaram wore a festive look with Red flags fluttering all around.

Manik Sarkar, addressing this gathering of Tamilnadu peasants, highlighted the corruption charges faced by stalwarts of the Congress as well as the BJP. He emphasised the role played by the AIKS in meeting the basic needs and rights of common peasants from the days of the British rulers. In the best interest of the nation, Left leaders have always been stressing the need of radical land reforms from the days of Jawaharlal Nehru down to the present day of Manmohan Singh dispensation. But not much has come out of it. In spite of repeated representations from Left parties, peasants are neither able to get agricultural inputs at subsidised prices nor remunerative prices for their agricultural produce. Irrigation infrastructure continues to remain in a pathetic stage, he said.

Sarkar pointed out that about 2,13,000 farmers had committed suicides due to farm related problems in the last 12 years, but instead of taking effective steps to arrest this trend, the Congress government has been shedding crocodile tears only, with the aim of reaping votes during the state level and all-India elections. Instead of protecting the peasants, this government is busy protecting the interests of corporate houses like the Tatas, Birlas, Reliance, Dalmias and others. The black money stashed away in Swiss banks can be used to solve many of our present day problems but the Congress and the BJP are in reality interested in saving the culprits. Instead of creating new jobs, false promises are made on employment generation while lakhs of government jobs are lying vacant across various departments.

Sarkar further said the 2G spectrum scam involving A Raja of the DMK, the Commonwealth Games scam involving Suresh Kalmadi and some other scams, with their perpetrators now lodged in Tihar Jail, have brought to light the serious state of corruption growing under the ruling regime today. On the other hand, the BJP is also facing corruption charges in regard to mining in Karnataka, showing the BJP leadership in its true colours. It is only the Left parties that have set an example of probity and integrity in public life. Their record is very much in the knowledge of the common man of this country.

K Varadha Rajan, general secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha, spoke in detail on the need to distribute fallow land among the landless poor and also highlighted the role of AIKS in combating the caste based discrimination at the village level. He dared the DMK leader, M Karunanidhi, to expose the corruption cases involving the BJP and the Congress. Highlighting the success of erstwhile Left Front government of West Bengal in effecting land reforms, he suggested that the peasant leaders of Tamilnadu must identify lands to be distributed among the agrarian community.

In his presidential address, AIKS state president K Balakrishnan highlighted the land grab issue in Cuddalore district where multinational companies and Indian corporate houses have acquired 10,000 acres of land belonging to small and marginal farmers. He focused on how Cuddalore district is likely to become a hub of pollution, how thousands of agricultural labourers are on the verge of losing their jobs here and how marginalised communities are likely to be displaced from their habitats where they have been settled for several generations. He also stressed on the need for organised struggles to safeguard the interest of agrarian community in Tamilnadu.

T Elumalai, general secretary of the Tamilnadu Sugarcane Farmers Association, highlighted the success of the peasant struggles of 2009, including the march to parliament by sugarcane growers for implementation of the state advised prices (SAP) by all sugar mills across the nation. He also highlighted the notable work done by the AIKS in protecting the farmers from the clutches of moneylenders and farm credit institutions.

G Veeriyan, former general secretary of the Tamilnadu state unit of the AIKS, mentioned the sacrifices made by the AIKS in upholding the rights of the peasantry. Now that the fourth generation of kisan leaders is in the fray, the AIKS must chart out new paths for the upcoming kisan leaders about organising peasant movements in the best interests of the agrarian community.

AIKS state secretary Professor R Chandra, in her address, made a mention of the two centuries of the British rule in India and the struggles that led to achievement of independence in 1947. Today we are on the verge of losing our hard won independence and that Indian farming is becoming a prey to multinational corporations. Our agriculture minister is busy talking to cricketers rather than to the farmer representatives, she said, adding that instead of protecting the agrarian community, the present generations of the Congress and DMK leadership are busy protecting the interests of multinationals like Cargill and Monsanto.

AIKS state general secretary Shanmugam spoke in detail on the occasion, explaining the corruption charges labelled against some DMK leaders, which have landed them in Tihar Jail in Delhi. He also emphasised the role played by Tamilnadu Vivasaiyal Sangam in bringing the Karnataka High Court chief justice Dinakaran to book in the land grabbing case and later his resignation.

The organising committee, headed by Moosa, had made elaborate arrangements for this mass gathering. Zakier Hussain, treasurer of the Tamilnadu Vivasigal Sangam, proposed the vote of thanks before the meeting concluded on a positive note regarding the continuation and intensification of peasant struggles and movements in the days to come.

Courtesy: People’s Democracy

ILLEGAL COURTS IN TAMILNADU

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TAMILNADU: A FAILED GOVT FACES POPULAR PROTESTS

S P Rajendran

TAMILNADU, the southern-most state of the country, recently witnessed massive protests against the anti-people policies of the state and central governments. The state is currently being ruled by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) which is a close ally of the Congress in the UPA and a partner in the central government. Here we recount some of these protest actions.

On February 9, the Students Federation of India (SFI) held a big procession of the hosteller students towards the state assembly building at Chennai, demanding basic amenities in the BC, SC and ST student welfare hostels. The processionists, who later turned into a public rally, also demanded healthy food in the government hostels while urging the government to open more hostels as the number of students is fast increasing. More than 5000 students, including about a thousand girls, joined the procession, carrying the SFI flags in their hands. State SFI leaders K S Kanagaraj and J Rajmohan presided over the rally. CPI (M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan inaugurated the rally which B Uchimakali, convener of the SFI’s hostel students committee, V Karikalan and others addressed.

On February 10, more than 20,000 people organised a protest action under the banner of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Tirupur, demanding basic needs like drinking water, ration cards, house-site pattas and homestead plots for the homeless. T K Rangarajan, a member of Rajya Sabha and of the Central Committee of the party, addressed the masses. He charged that the DMK government had utterly failed even in arranging the minimal infrastructure during its 5 years long rule. CPI (M) state secretariat member K Thangavel, district secretary K Kamaraj, DYFI state president S Muthukannan, Tirupur south city secretary M Rajagopal and other leaders participated in the action.

On the same day, in protest against the irresponsible attitude of the DMK government regarding the more than two lakh vacant places in almost all its departments all over Tamilnadu, the TNGEA (Tamilnadu Government Employees Association) organised a statewide one day token strike. Responding to the call, nearly two lakh employees struck work and held demonstrations in their respective areas. The massive strike paralysed the entire administration of the state government in the collectorates, taluk offices, rural development offices, union offices, CTOs and treasuries etc. One of the major demands in the employees’ charter of demands was that the new pension scheme must be given up.

On February 14, cloth merchants and weavers in Erode and Karur districts went on a two-day strike in protest against the spiralling prices of cotton yarn. Over 5,000 wholesale and retail outlets selling yarn and other textile goods in Erode town and other parts of the district remained closed. Powerloom weavers in Chennimalai, Vijayamangalam and a few other parts also participated in the protest and stopped production. Hundreds of weaving and knitting units in Karur as well remained closed. Members of the Erode Cloth Merchants Association, who had called for the strike, also observed a fast here, urging the central and state governments to initiate measures to rein in the prices. One may note that the weaving sector, the second largest employer in the district, has been severely affected due to the sharp increases in cotton yarn prices. There has been an increase of 50 per cent to 60 per cent in the cotton yarn prices since last year, which has put a lot of stress on the weaving units. The merchants urged the government to ban the export of raw cotton and cotton yarn in order to protect the domestic industries.

In recent days, several parts of the state witnessed continuous struggle of milk producers from various associations, including the Tamilnadu Milk Producers Association which is affiliated to the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). The milk producers also went on a strike for ten days to demand an increase in the procurement price for milk. They are demanding a hike of Rs 8 per litre for buffalo milk and Rs 5 for cow milk. They charged that the policies of the DMK government favoured the private milk corporations by demolishing the state owned milk corporation called AAVIN. They insisted that the cooperative milk societies must be allowed to properly function. The militant struggle of the milk producers forced the government come down from its high pedestal and talk to their representatives. Finally, the government accepted the major demands including an increase in procurement prices. Earlier, the government had unleashed repressive measures and arrested the milk producers’ leaders like K Mohd Ali, A M Munusamy and others.

The Left has won the election to the educational committee of Annamalai University, the largest and one of the oldest universities in the state. (The university is situated in Chidhambaram, in Cuddalore district.) Asokan, Selvaraj, Natarajan, Vezhavan, Palnivel, Anbuvel and Seeman, all the seven candidates belonging to the federation of teachers' associations, were declared elected. They will serve on the educational committee for the next three years.

CPI (M) SAYS NO TO BJP IN ALLIANCE

On February 13, the Communist of Party of India (Marxist) made it clear that it will not accept the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the alliance led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). CPI (M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan told reporters at Ramanathapuram that the communist parties were following a policy of not having any electoral tie-up with communal forces.

Asked about the indication given by the Tamilnadu BJP leaders that their party was ready to join hands with the opposition parties, including the Left, in order to defeat the DMK-Congress alliance, Ramakrishnan said the Left parties would align with any outfit, but not with the Congress or the BJP.

Asked whether the CPI (M) was happy with the progress made in the probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the 2G spectrum scam, Ramakrishnan said it was premature to comment on it as the CBI was under the control of the centre. Though the case was registered in 2009, former telecom minister A Raja was arrested only recently. The CPI (M) leader also said there were reports that members of the ruling family, big industrial houses and others were among the beneficiaries in the spectrum scam. The CBI should bring to book all conspirators and beneficiaries, he demanded.

Pointing to the sharp increases in the prices of essential commodities, Ramakrishnan said the state and central governments had utterly failed to control the situation. Stating that the price of petrol was hiked seven times since the fuel was decontrolled recently, he said the Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had said the centre would decontrol the diesel and cooking gas soon.

Earlier, Ramakrishnan inaugurated the work for construction of the party’s district committee office building at Ramanathapuram. State secretariat member S Noor Mohemmed, senior leader and Semmalar editor S A Perumal, CPI (M) district secretary R Gnanavasagam and senior leader M Karuppuraja were also present on the occasion.

WORKERS PROTEST IN PUDUCHERRY

On February 14, the Puducherry police arrested 362 workers of the Puducherry Cooperative Spinning Mills Limited (SPINCO) for trying to take out a protest rally in front of the residence of V Vaithilingam, the chief minister. The workers had assembled near the Swadeshi Cotton Mills, to demand higher wages and other benefits. When they tried to take a procession out to the chief minister's residence, the police blocked their way near the mills and took them into custody. Puducherry is now under the rule of the Congress party.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org/

TAMILNADU NEWSLETTER: ‘TELECOM MINISTER TRYING TO WHITEWASH THE CRIME’ - S P Rajendran

NOW we understand why Kapil Sibal has been put in charge of the ministry of communications. After the exposure of the biggest scandal so far, there is a now a minister who is trying to whitewash the crime. This was what the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s general secretary, Prakash Karat, told journalists after unveiling a portrait of late CPI(M) leader Pappa Umanath at Chennai on January 9.

Karat categorically said the people of India would not buy the minister's argument that the finding of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), that the scam caused a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the public exchequer, was “utterly erroneous and without any basis.”

He reitrated the CPI (M)'s demand for probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the spectrum scam, adding that “We will discuss what we have to do during the budget session.”

Earlier at the event which was held by Tamilnadu state committee of the party, Prakash Karat stated that Comrade Pappa Umanath represented a movement that was against neo-liberalism. He said, “When other bourgeois political parties talk about corruption, they hide the fact that corruption is part and parcel of the existing neo-liberal regime at the centre.”

He said corruption stemmed from the nexus among politicians, corporate houses and bureaucracy, and that this nexus was sponsored and nurtured by the neo-liberal regime.

“Unless we fight the policies of neo-liberalism that affect the lives of the working class, the peasants and other toiling masses, we cannot fight corruption, which is becoming institutionalised and invading our society,” he said.

Karat said that at a time when politics was getting degenerated and elected members were using their position for self-service and self-aggrandisement and to serve the interests of the rich people, Pappa Umanath's life stands as a striking contrast. Unlike others who learnt Marxism- Leninism through books, she was schooled in the ideology through her direct experience in the field, he added.

Veteran CPI (M) leader R Umanath, Central Control Commission chairman N Sankaraiah, Polit Bureau member K Varadharajan, CPI(M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan, Central Committee Members N Varadarajan, T K Rengarajan and U Vasuki, AIDWA general secretary Sudha Sundararaman and senior CPI leader A M Gopu were also present on the occasion.

BOOK RELEASED

On January 10, Prakash Karat participated in the Chennai Book Fair and released a book on the Marxist political economy, which is Tamil translation of essays on The Capital by Dr Venkatesh B Athreya. The book is translated by K Ilakkuvan and published by Bharathi Puthakalayam, a leading Tamil publishing house.

FIRST ELECTION ON ANVIL IN AN SEZ

After a militant struggle, workers of the Foxconn India got a positive verdict from the Madras High Court which directed this multinational corporation (MNC) to allow an election for trade union recognition.

It was for the first time in India that a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) witnessed a massive working class struggle Foxconn India workers went on a 58 days strike. This started on September 21, 2010, demanding regularisation of work, hike in salary and right to form a union.

This SEZ is situated at Sri Perumpudur in Kanchipuram district, near Chennai.

The management of the company tried all means to crush the strike with the help of the ruling DMK government and its labour wing, the LPF. The concerned department was silenced.

While the struggle was going, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) which led the workers strike, approached the Madras High Court to direct the Foxconn management to hold an election for trade union recognition. The CITU submitted to the court a copy of the letter written by the Foxconn management to the labour department on August 24, 2010, to ascertain the majority union in the factory so that the issues could be settled with them. Even after this letter from the company, the CITU argued, the labour department and the DMK government were not prepared to accept a democratic process; later the management had also fallen in line.

With this background, the High Court ordered the company on January 4 to start the election process within six weeks.

The CITU union at Foxconn India and E Muthukumar, Kanchipuram district secretary of the CITU, welcomed the High Court directive to the management. They said this was the first verdict of its kind in the country, directing to hold trade union election in a SEZ. This is the first-step victory of the workers’ unity, they said.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org/

TAMILNADU: PART TIME WOMEN EMPLOYEES SCORE A BIG VICTORY

More than 5000 women workers in Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) who are designated as part time workers have scored a big victory in their struggle for wages. This struggle, led by Central Organization of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees (COTEE) affiliated to CITU, has been going on for the last 15 years!

These workers, almost all belonging to socially oppressed classes, a good number of them widows, were paid only a pittance. These amounts in 1995 varied from Rs.60, 120, 250 based on the floor space of the office.

The CITU union took up the issue of this cruel exploitation of women who had to be in the office from morning to evening but are not paid even a day’s wage for the whole month. CITU demanded that these workers should be paid at least the wages being paid to the mid day meal workers in the State.

A series of campaigns, demonstration etc. were conducted. In 1996, at the time of wage revision for the regular workers, CITU took this up as a major issue. Finally, CITU could force the Board to issue an order on 14.10.1998, that these workers will be paid on par with mid day meal workers from 20.03.1997.

But, the ‘generosity’ of the Board and State Government ended with that. The Board refused to implement its own order. The Union continued with various struggles and also approached the court. In 2003, the Chennai High Court gave a judgment in favour of the workers, directing implementation of the Boards order!

TNEB, instead of implementing the order by agreeing to the Judgement appealed against it! But that time there was a change in the government. The AIADMK had won the elections in 2001 in place of the DMK government which had issued the orders in 1998.

The CITU took up the issue with the Chief Minister of the AIADMK government. The then C.M. was prepared only to increase the wages from Rs.250 to Rs. 850. This increase was with effect from 15.10.2005.

Again there was a change in Government in 2006. The DMK government. which had issued the orders, come back to power. While continuing the litigation and also struggle, the issue was again taken up with the Electricity Minister and again he was prepared only to increase the wages from Rs.850 to Rs.1000 with effect from 01.07.2009.

The writ appeal of TNEB was also rejected by the High Court on 18.08.2007. Again the Board went on Appeal to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile struggles were also continuing. By mobilizing these workers from all over the state, a massive demonstration was held in Chennai

On 26th October, the Supreme Court of India, gave its Judgement. The court ruled that “ on the facts of the case we are not inclined to interfere with the impugned Judgment”.

However, the Judgment said that the scale of pay of Rs.600-1100 with Dearness Allowance will be effected not from 14.10.1998 but from the date of filing of Writ Petition. The date of implementation now is 04.04.2003 and the amount as on 1.10.10 will be Rs 2685.

It is a big victory for the CITU union in TNEB. What can be said about a state government controlled board going on appeal again and again on the question of refusal of implementation of its own order? What can be said about the different state governments, which refused to help the workers by implementing the order of their own undertaking?

It is to the credit of the CITU which had taken up the issue all alone and also of the poor women workers who continued to struggle under the banner of CITU.

COTEE-CITU has urged TNEB to urgent steps for implementation of the Judgement of the Supreme Court of India as there is nowhere else to go on an Appeal!

Source: www.citucentre.org/

FOXCONN WORKERS IN A SEZ FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS - ANOTHER MNC: ANOTHER MILITANT STRUGGLE

A small town with a big Special Economic Zone (SEZ) where giant Multi National Corporations (MNCs) like Hyundai, Foxconn, and Nokia have set up units – that is Sriperambadur in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu. The MNCs in the SEZs are provided with all facilities and concessions by the governments. Not only that; the ruling parties, through their unions, often provide a helping hand to the MNCs to thwart any attempts by the workers to fight for their rights with the support of the unions of their choice. This is the reality being unveiled through the struggle of the Foxconn workers in this SEZ.

Foxconn technology group, which has a unit in Sriperambadur, is a Taiwan based, super profit company, a subsidy of Hon Hai Precision Industries Limited. It is the world’s leading electronics manufacturer, catering to almost all the leading brands in electronics like Nokia, Apple etc. It ranks 112 in the global fortune 500 companies and has manufacturing units in China, India, Czech Republic, Mexico and other countries. In China alone, more than 900000 workers are employed by the company.

This multinational company is notorious for its anti worker policies and drew international attraction recently with reports that 17 workers have committed suicides in its plants. Various reports published on the working conditions of Foxconn workers have shown that they extract maximum work with very low wages. One report says that ‘It is the most typical factory run by a management methodology that boosts productivity through the degradation of workers into dehumanised machines’

In Sriperambadur, Foxconn has three units, with 1400 regular workers and 6000 other workers designated as ‘casuals’, ‘trainees’ and ‘probationers’. This is also a part of its international practice where the system of internship for students is being misused by making them work on production lines. A large section of the workers in the Foxconn unit in Sriperambadur in Kancheepuram district comprise of young women workers, mostly from the nearby villages, belonging to poor peasant, agricultural workers families. Most of them belong to the socially oppressed sections of the society.

Reports of huge number of workers fainting, vomiting, falling sick and getting admitted to hospitals due to the impact of the poisonous gas emitted in its units brought Foxconn into focus some time back. However the company tried to brush it aside attributing these to the impact of some insecticide sprayed in the factory. However, the strike by the Foxconn workers in its Sriperambadur unit since 22nd September 2010 fully exposed the oppressive methods being resorted to by the company.

The workers in Foxconn units are forced to work overtime without proper overtime wages; they are not allowed to form unions; they are not allowed to talk to outsiders, even to each other; all labour laws are flouted with utter disregard. No attention is paid to maintain safe and healthy working conditions in the units. Inhuman practices in the name of ‘disciplinary action’, assaults both verbal and physical, and various other cruel forms are usual.

Unable to tolerate the oppressive conditions, the workers of Foxconn decided to organise themselves, formed a union, got affiliated to CITU and demanded recognition of their union and starting of negotiations on the charter of demands that included increased wages, improvement in the working conditions etc. As there was no positive response from the management, the workers went on strike en masse from 22nd September 2010 that forced the management to agree for discussions with the union.

But in stead of keeping its word, the management treacherously announced that it had reached an agreement with the LPF union which had no following among the workers whatsoever.

The management did not specify the details of the agreement and simply said that they would be announced later. Instead, 23 leading workers were suspended and 8 days’ penal wage cut was imposed for the strike on 22nd September. Not ready to be cowed down, the workers retaliated by going on a strike again from 24th September. To bring pressure from the families of the young workers, particularly the young girls, the management wrote letters to their parents informing that their wards were not attending work and threatening of action.

The workers were asked to report to work with their parents, as if they were school children.

More than 300 workers along with A Soundararajan, general secretary of Tamil Nadu state committee of CITU and the E Muthukumar, secretary of its Kancheepuram district committee were been arrested and remanded in prison on 9th October. Many more fabricated charges under non bailable sections have been foisted by the police, to satisfy the management, and kept the leaders in the prison.

But undeterred by these repressive measures of the management and the state administration, the workers are continuing the strike.

The anti worker and repressive attitude of the DMK government in the state was also exposed during this struggle. While the struggle was going on, the workers along with the Kancheepuram district committee of CITU wanted to open an office in Sriperambadur and rented a small building. Even as all the preparations were going on to open the office on 10th October, the ruling party threatened the owner and publicly warned him of dire consequences if he rented the building to the union. Despite this and the arrest of the leaders, more than 3000 workers, mostly youth, marched on the streets with CITU flags and inaugurated the office. The CITU state committee strongly condemned the attitude of the Tamil Nadu government and the management in denying the workers the right to have a union of their choice and launched a state wide campaign and agitation against the repression let loose on the workers of Foxconn and their leaders.

It has demanded immediate and unconditional release of all the arrested leaders and workers and to settle the issue amicably through discussions.

As per the latest reports, 14 leaders including Soundararajan and Muthukumar are still in prison while the government had to release the other workers.

Source: www.citucentre.org

CPI (M) CALLS UPON TAMILNADU CHIEF MINISTER M. KARUNANIDHI TO RECOGNISE TRADE UNION RIGHTS

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FOXCONN DISPUTE IN TAMILNADU: STATE GOVT MUST INTERVENE FOR SETTLEMENT

ON October 19, through a letter written to the Tamilnadu chief minister, CITU general secretary Tapan Sen sought to draw his attention to the ongoing industrial unrest in the units of FOXCONN, a multinational company, in Kanchipuram district of Tamilnadu. The letter urged the chief minister’s effective intervention to resolve the crisis in the best interest of the company and its 7400 workers.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which is representing the FOXCONN workers, had submitted a charter of demands to the management and has been demanding its settlement through the democratic process of collective bargaining.

Unfortunately, the management has not been responding to the workers’ demands. On the contrary, the former resorted to repressive measures including victimisation of the union leadership.

In the situation, the FOXCONN workers had no other alternative but to resort to peaceful and democratic trade union steps and ultimately, under compulsion due to the anti-worker behaviour of the management, went on a strike on September 22. At this point the were Right to Trade Union and Right to Collective Bargaining were the focal issues.

The state’s Labour Department intervened only on commencement of the strike and asked the union to withdraw it, with the assurance that conciliation proceedings on its charter of demands will commence on September 27. The union responded positively by calling off the strike and the workers resumed their work on September 23.

Shockingly, however, the management of the company, instead of reciprocating the union’s gesture, imposed a heavy penalty of eight days’ wage cut for one day strike. Moreover, 23 office bearers of the union were suspended and various other vindictive actions inflicted upon the workers. Simultaneously, serious provocation came from the management when they announced that they had reached a settlement with a non-existent trade union without any following among the FOXCONN workers. Moreover, the so called settlement has been kept a closely guarded secret.

In view of the foregoing an explosive industrial relations situation came up. The workers resorted to another strike from September 24, which is continuing. In the meantime, the state Labour Department remained totally indifferent to the industrial unrest.

Meanwhile, the management caused police action against the workers by lodging false and fabricated cases against CITU activists. The police arrested more than 300 workers including state CITU general secretary A Soundararajan and its Kanchipuram district secretary E Muthukumar. They are still languishing in jail. The atrocities perpetrated on the leaders were shocking; they were handcuffed while being produced in the court and during their return to the jail.

It is absolutely clear that the whole unfortunate situation has been created by the management by their refusal to recognise the legitimate trade union, coupled with the mysterious inaction on part of the state Labour Department and highhandedness of the police administration.

The basic issues in this case are of the workers’ right to form a trade union and freedom to join a trade union of their choice, and the right to negotiate for an amicable settlement of their charter of demands. In this situation, the state government must intervene to ensure the following:

1) The FOXCONN management must enter into a dialogue with the union and settle the charter of demands amicably.

2) All police cases must be withdrawn and the leaders released from jail forthwith to create a congenial atmosphere for dialogue.

3) All victimisation actions of the management against the workers and union leaders must be revoked.

At the same time, the state government must also ensure that the police and administration are not utilised by the management for in suppressing the democratic trade union rights of the workers.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org
Vol. XXXIV, No. 43, October 24, 2010

AFTER TIRUPUR, IT’S CUDDALORE: BANDH IN SUPPORT OF NLC WORKERS HITS NORMAL LIFE - S P Rajendran

THE Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), which has gained a net profit of Rs 1,247 crore during 2009-10 --- up Rs 147 crore compared to Rs 1,100 crore in the previous financial year --- has no qualm of conscience in putting its own workers in peril.

For the past one month or more, since September 19 to be precise, nearly 13,000 contract workers of the NLC are on an indefinite strike. On the 30th day of the strike, i.e. on October 19, the people of Cuddalore district, where the NLC is situated, observed a 24 hours bandh in support of the striking workers and against the anti-worker policies of the central and the state governments.

There are more than 33,000 workers and employees working in the NLC. Among them, 18,158 are regulars, nearly 13,000 are contract workers and the other 2000 odd are apprentice trainees.

Due to the destructive policies of the central government, there has been no recruitment of new workers or employees in the NLC; a ban on recruitment is in place for the past 15 years.

Despite the low level of manpower, however, the corporation did develop and expand. In particular, two thermal power stations were expanded, a new mine and one thermal power station of the NLC were commissioned in Rajasthan, and an expansion project also started in the port city of Tuticorin.
All this was possible only because of the sweat and blood of NLC workers and employees. The contract workers have been as much contributing as the regular workforce towards the tremendous growth of the NLC. They are working as dozer operators or crane operators in the mining section; they are operating the pipe layers and earth movers; they are working as lorry drivers and as clerical workers in the administrative premises.

Yet the NLC management of NLC and the coal ministry of the UPA government are not ready to consider the genuine demands of these contract workers.

These workers had put forth the demand that the NLC management must give them a wage hike of Rs 3, 000 a month and regularise those contract workers who had put in 25-30 years of service.

But the NLC management offered a wage increase of Rs 1,040 only, for a period stretching over five years. This is not acceptable to the workers. Now they are getting hardly Rs.6,000 a month; after deductions their take-home wage packet is just Rs 4,500 a month. So they demanded a rise in the wages to a minimum of Rs 9,000 a month.

The workers are also pressing for a 10 point charter of demands including safety measures at the workplace.

After the refusal of the NLC management to consider the demands, the contract workers went on an indefinite strike from September 19, in response to the call given by various unions working among these contract workers. These included the CITU, AITUC and AICCTU as well as the unions supporting the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), AIADMK, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi.
While the workers have been continuing their militant struggle, the ruling DMK, as usual, tried to sabotage it. On the 22nd day of the strike, its trade union wing, the LPF (Labour Progressive Front) hurriedly signed with the management a wage pact which was totally against the demands of the workers. Meanwhile, as usual again, Tamilnadu chief minister M Karunanidhi wrote his "letter to the prime minister."

The trade unions and political parties, except the DMK and its LPF, rejected the illegal pact between the LPF and NLC management and decided to take the struggle forward.

CPI (M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan, who is also the honorary president of CITU-affiliated NLC Contract Workers Employees Union, lashed out at the LPF that its illegal pact with the management was an attempt to divide the contract workers and certainly not a bid to establish their rights.

In rejection of the illegal pact of the LPF, thousands of workers took out a huge rally at Neyveli on October 12. Leaders of all the parties including the PMK MLA T Velmurugan and CPI (M) district secretary T Arumugam, and all trade union leaders including Velmurugan and Kuppusamy of the NLC Workers Employees Union (CITU) and Matha Krishnan and Sakkarabani of the NLC Contract Workers Union (CITU) were present on the occasion. This isolated the ruling DMK and LPF.

In this background, the 30th day of the strike witnessed popular support from the people of Cuddalore district.

Responding to the call given by all the parties in support of the striking NLC workers, people from all walks of life observed the bandh. Shops and business establishments remained closed in the main towns like Cuddalore, Chidhambaram, Nellikuppam, Neyveli, Viruthachalam, Panrutti and Kurinchipadi. Cinema theatres cancelled their shows. Lawyers boycotted the courts. Many educational institutions also remained closed. Tension brewed at some commercial places when the ruling party’s goons tried to prevail upon the traders to keep their establishments open.

The Cuddlore bandh served yet another warning to the state government which has miserably failed to effectively intervene in this burning issue, even after it faced a massive bandh in Tirupur (see People’s Democracy, September 26) just a month back.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org
Vol. XXXIV, No. 43, October 24, 2010

CITU DEMANDS GOVT INTERVENTION IN NEYVELI STRIKE

THROUGH a statement issued by its president A K Padmanabhan, on New Delhi, October 16, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has extended full support to the strike of contract workers of Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), a giant mini ratna public sector undertaking (PSU) under the ministry of coal, which is engaged in the mining of lignite and generation of power.

All the contract workers in NLC, numbering more than 12,000, have been on a strike from September 19, demanding regularisation and wage parity. Working for more than 12 years, these workers have been conducting struggles continuously on these demands. All the unions including the CITU, AITUC, LPF, INTUC, ATP have been involved in their struggle. While the workers have been steadfast on their demands and are continuing the struggle, the LPF union of the state’s ruling party had signed a settlement with the management agreeing for a meagre increase of Rs 45 per day. Despite this, the workers are continuing the strike struggle and also conducting joint rallies and demonstrations.

The CITU has demanded that the government of India should immediately intervene to address the long pending just demands of regularisation and increase in the wages of contract workers in the NLC. (INN

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org
Vol. XXXIV, No. 43, October 24, 2010

CENTRE OF INDIAN TRADE UNIONS DEMANDS INTERVENTION OF TAMILNADU CHIEF MINISTER IN THE CASE OF FOXCON

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