CITU > Monthly Journals
Friday, February 8, 2013
Tapan Sen on Maruti Suzuki’s Mass
Tapan Sen on Maruti Suzuki’s Mass
Termination of workers
RESPONDING to CITU general secretary Tapan Sen’s letter, union labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge sought clarification from Haryana government on mass dismissal of workers of Maruti Suzuki plant at Manesar. In their reply of 19 November, Haryana government made two ‘gems’ of notation on industrial relation that, “Government has no power to prevent the management from terminating the services of the workmen” and that, “No workman disputed their termination by way of a demand notice”. Kharge forwarded Haryana government’s letter to Tapan Sen.
Reacting to such blatant anti-labour position and misleading statement of Haryana government, in his letter to union labour minister on 3 January, Tapan Sen contested the position of Haryana government and pointed out that 546 out of total around 800 or 68% of permanent workers and all 1200 contract workers of the plant were removed from jobs en masse by the management of Maruti Suzuki. And yet the Government of Haryana says that they had ‘no power’ to prevent.
Openly violating the laws of the land and the rules of natural justice, the management of this foreign company, with complicity of Haryana government, did neither issue charge-sheet nor held domestic enquiry giving fair opportunity to the employees to defend themselves; and removed them from the jobs en masse and yet accuses the workers of grave misconduct, Tapan Sen’s letter pointed out.
Such mass termination of service amounts to retrenchment for which prior notice and approval from the state government were required. Management ignored these legal provisions.
It is absurd that Haryana government is wrongly treating such mass dismissals from service as individual termination simpliciter and, therefore, raised the point that no workman raised any industrial dispute against his termination of service! Though, after such mass dismissals, industrial disputes were raised collectively by the workers and their union in Maruti Suzuki through their memorandum to the chief minister, state labour minister, state labour department and the district commissioner of Gurgaon.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
ANY ATTEMPT OF COAL PRIVATIZATION WILL BE RESISTED
ANY ATTEMPT OF COAL PRIVATIZATION WILL BE RESISTED
CITU condemned the deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia’s statement pitching for privatization of coal. In a press statement, issued by CITU general secretary Tapan Sen on 4 January, further, cautioned that the Union government should desist from any such ill-conceived attempt which would be resisted by strike and struggles by the coal workers unitedly as was successfully resisted in the past.
Ahluwalia’s argument for privatization of coal is based on false premises that coal India Ltd (CIL) was incapable of mining and supplying coal to fulfill today’s power plants needs and the country was relying increasingly on imports. 43,000 MW power plants’ coal requirement, projected by Ahluwalia, is itself misleading as it is only installed capacity. Actual power production and, therefore, of actual coal requirement were much below. In fact, Planning Commission itself fixed coal requirement for power sector and in mid-term review cut it down as because the projected power plants could not be established. Despite all hurdles, during last 10 years plan period, CIL could achieve 99% of the target, fixed by the Coal Ministry as per Planning Commission’s projection and mid-term review.
In reality, the Government itself is not allowing CIL to produce more coal by not clearing the new projects prepared by Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Ltd (CMPDIL), the subsidiary of CIL; by taking 55 major coal blocks away from CIL subsidiaries, in their operational stages, and handing over to private companies like of CCL to Tatas, of NCL to Reliance etc.; by not giving forest clearance; by not allowing to spend for procurement of modern implements despite accumulated amount of Rs.68,000 crores remaining idle; etc. It is Government’s failure in infrastructural development, particularly of railway transportation, for evacuation of accumulated coal from pit heads to their destination, which forced CIL to cut production.
290 coal blocks, allocated to private sector for captive mining for end use mainly in power sector, which itself is under scrutiny because of coal-gate scam; remained un-utilized and used for profits on speculative business.
16 Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPP), finalized in 2006, based on captive coal mines, remained uninstalled. So far, only 4 UMPPs started installation out of which, according to Government’s own decision, 2 are based on imported coal. Contrary to the impression, given by Ahluwalia, of import under compulsion; there are several vested interests behind coal imports. Many private sector companies, despite agreement with CIL, cut down lifting of CIL coal and switched over to imports.
Therefore, Ahluwalia is totally wrong in accusing CIL and pitching for privatization for opening the door of country’s this non-renewable natural resource for plunder and loot by foreign and domestic corporates for super profits.
CITU demanded that all coal blocks, allocated to private for captive use, be scrapped and CIL be given statutory responsibility of all mining and allocation of coal; and that CIL be given full autonomy in respect of capital investment, equipment procurement and manpower augmentation for expanding and widening its production network.
MEETING OF STANDING LABOUR COMMITTEE
MEETING OF STANDING LABOUR COMMITTEE
THE meeting of the Standing Labour Committee (SLC), held on 4 January at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi with Union labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge in the chair, finalized the agenda for the 45th Indian Labour Conference (ILC), scheduled to be held on 14-15 February, 2013. The agenda includes (1) service conditions, wages and social security for all categories of central government’s and state governments’ scheme workers; (2) social security with special reference to assured pension with indexation for all workers; (3) labour laws for small and medium scale industries; and (4) employability and employment.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of central trade unions, employers’ organisations and of central and state governments. CITU was represented by its general secretary Tapan Sen and secretary Swadesh Dev Roye; its state general secretaries, M. L. Malkotia of Delhi and Surender Singh Malik of Haryana.
Representatives of the employers’ organizations, as before, insisted on inclusion in the agenda the labour flexibility for free adjustment with volatility of labour market and made categorical statement that the existing labour laws were old and archaic and could not be implemented. This statement clearly substantiates the unions’ complaints about labour law violations becoming permanent phenomenon in most of the workplaces.
Intervening in the discussion, Tapan Sen pointed out about government’s complete inaction in implementing ILC’s unanimous recommendation on fixing minimum wages as per 15th ILC formula and on the basis of relevant Supreme Court judgments; and on amendment of the Minimum Wages Act in that direction. This exposes government’s biased approach in favour of small number of employers. This approach of the government encourages rampant violation of legal provisions depriving 70 per cent workers of the country from getting their existing statutory minimum wages. Same is the fate of recommendations on social security measures where existing provisions of various social security schemes are being violated by the employers with impunity.
Recommendations of successive ILCs on employability and employment generations have also been treated by the government with same contempt. Unemployment situation is becoming worse with the growth of GDP. This means that the gains of GDP growth, created by the workers, are being totally usurped by the employers’ class with abetment by the governments, both directly and indirectly, through state-sponsored violations of labour laws in all respects. Sen cited recent examples of unlawful en masse dismissals of workers in Maruti Suzuki plant at Manesar without holding departmental enquiry with active connivance of the Congress-led state government who resorted to mass scale arrests of the workers and their union leaders on fabricated charges and by de-registration of the union without any prior notice.
Representatives of all central trade unions pointed out about government not taking action / even initiate implementation of unanimous recommendations of 44th ILC on minimum wages, social security and on employability and employment generation. This virtually converted this highest tripartite forum on labour into a talking shop exposing the anti-labour character of the government. Trade union representatives conveyed with one voice their resolve to go in for two days general strike on 20-21 February 2013 against such anti-labour policies of the government.
FINANCE MINISTER’S PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATION
FINANCE MINISTER’S PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATION
UNION finance minister P. Chidambaram invited the central trade unions for pre-budget consultation on 3 January. All central trade unions and, on behalf of CITU, its general secretary Tapan Sen and secretary Swadesh Dev Roye participated.
Finance Minster, giving overview of the economic situation, pointed out about burgeoning fiscal deficit and stressing upon his priority on containing the same; about economic slowdown and declining GDP rates; and about dwindling investment situation. Of course, he did not fail to express optimism on soon overcoming the critical situation.
Trade union representatives, almost in one voice, expressed concern over the miseries of the working people due to anti-people and biased economic policy of the government; opposed the banking reform bill; opposed increasing FDI limits and disinvestment in insurance and FDI in pension; FDI in retail; about continued non-response of the government on the basic demands of the entire trade union movement in the country despite repeated persuasion; conveyed their unanimous resolve to go in for two-days countrywide general strike on 20-21 February; and wanted the government to take appropriate remedial actions.
Intervening in the discussion, Tapan Sen, reiterating the unanimous demands and suggestions of the trade unions for a directional change in the economic policy regime; said that no democratically elected government should resort to drastic cut in providing relief to common people in the form of subsidies on food, fuel etc for containing fiscal deficit. Such subsidies accounts for only 1.78 per cent of GDP. On the contrary, the government should reign in the huge subsidies being doled out to hardly one per cent of population — the big business and corporates - in the form of tax concessions and indulgence to tax defaults, which has been continuously increasing every year reaching almost 4 per cent of GDP at present. A directional change in attitude as well as policy regime is required in this regard.
Sen strongly opposed disinvestment of PSUs, deregulation, privatization in financial sector, entry of foreign agencies in pension and in bank/insurance in the interest of national economy.
He also demanded adequate financial allocations through public investment in agriculture, health and specifically for providing statutory wages and social security for the workers deployed in various central government schemes like ICDS, ASHA, Sarb-siksha, mid-day-meal, National Child Labour Project etc.
All central trade unions submitted a signed joint memorandum containing their unanimous suggestions for incorporation in the forthcoming budget. The trade unions also demanded post-budget consultation on budgetary proposals as the government is usually holding every year with the industry/business organizations.
Excerpts from the joint memorandum
Proposals for toiling people include –
- Effective measures to arrest spiraling price rise and contain inflation; ban on speculative forward trading in commodities; universalisation and strengthening PDS; rationalization of tax/duty/cess on petroleum products with a view to reduce the burden on people;
- Massive investment in infrastructure by the government; more budget allocations in plan and non-plan provisions to create more jobs and guarantee consistent income;
- Minimum wage on the basis of the recommendations of 15th Indian Labour Conference (ILC);
- All investments towards income generation and to create permanent assets, with retention and increase of jobs;
- Creation of a welfare fund for unorganized workers, including the agricultural workers;
- In view of huge jobloss and mounting unemployment, lifting of ban on recruitment in governments departments, PSUs and autonomous institutions (including recent Finance Ministry’s instruction to abolish those posts not filled for one year) as recommended by 43rd ILC;
- MGNREGA be extended to urban areas; minimum 200 day work; guaranteed statutory minimum wage as was unanimously recommended by 43rd ILC;
- ICDS, Mid-Day-Meal ASHA, Vidya Volunteers, Guest Teachers, Siksha Mitra and all other scheme workers be regularized, statutory minimum wages be paid and social securities provided; universalisation of ICDS, as Supreme Court directed, with adequate budgetary allocations;
- Removal of all restrictive provisions in eligibility coverage of schemes under the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008; allocation of adequate resources for the National Fund for Unorganised Workers to provide social security to all unorganized workers, including contract, casual, migrant workers, in line with the recommendations of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and also the 43rd ILC;
- Remunerative prices on agricultural produce; substantially augmented public investment in agriculture as a proportion of GDP and total budgetary expenditure ensuring benefits of the increase to reach the small cultivators;
- Budgetary provisions for essential services including housing, sanitation, water, schools, crèche etc. to workers in the new emerging industrial sites; setting up working women’s hostels in areas of concentration of women workers;
- Strengthening and expanding PSUs; immediately stopping disinvestment of profit making PSUs; budgetary support for revival of potentially viable sick CPSUs;
- Requisite budgetary support for addressing crisis in traditional sectors like jute, textiles, plantation, handloom and coir etc;
- Increasing budgetary allocation for elementary education in implementing ‘Right to Education’ to effectively combat child labour;
- Review present Consumer Price Index computation system as it is causing heavy financial loss to the workers;
- Raise Income Tax exemption ceiling to Rs.5 lakhs per annum for salaried persons and fringe benefits like housing, medical and educational facilities be completely exempted from the income tax net;
- Bring down Threshold limit of 20 employees in EPF Scheme, as recommended by CBT-EPF; pension benefits under EPS, unilaterally withdrawn by the government, be restored; Government and Employers contribution be increased; and make provision for reasonable minimum pension;
- Make proper policy for protection 4.5 crore people engaged in retail sector / street vendors (in the light of the onslaught of FDI in retail trade);
- Statutory protection and social security of the domestic workers in line with ILO Convention on domestic workers;
- Announce in the Budget about constitution of VIIth Central Pay Commission, as revision of wages and other service conditions of the government employees is due;
- Rectify irregularities in collection and proper utilization of cess for construction workers by the finance ministry, being responsible for its management under the Act.
For resource mobilization –
- Direct tax on the rich and affluent sections; broader and higher tax net for corporate service sector, traders, wholesale business, private hospitals and institutions etc; increase taxes on luxury goods;
- Reduce indirect taxes, constituting 86% of current revenue, on essential commodities for overwhelming majority of the people;
- Concrete steps to recover huge accumulated unpaid tax arrears crossing Rs 2 lakh crores on direct and corporate tax account alone; discontinue liberal tax concessions already given the corporates in last two budgets;
- Effective measures to unearth huge black money including in tax heavens abroad; bring back the illicit amounts flowed out of India which is more than twice the current external debt of $ 230 billion; and utilize this money for social security;
- Concrete measures for recovering NPAs of banks from the willfully defaulting corporates and business houses;
- Tax on long term capital gains and higher taxes on the security transactions;
- Expanded and enhanced rate of wealth tax, corporate tax, gift tax etc;
- Inconsistencies in present tax regime be corrected as present effective tax rate of companies having profit before tax over Rs 500 crores is less than the companies having profit before tax is below 1 crore; discrimination against small business and PSUs, who are paying more than the private corporate, be removed;
ITES, outsourcing sector, educational institutions and health services etc, which run on commercial basis, be brought under service tax net.
FORWARD TO 14TH CONFERENCE OF CITU
(Here we bring you the second part of a collation of some of the highlights of previous conferences of the CITU. The last part will appear in the March 2013 issue of the Working Class)
Kanpur Conference
The Fifth Conference of CITU was held in Kanpur, the historic industrial centre of many struggles in the pre independent India; from 13 to 17 April 1983. This Conference coincided with the death centenary year of Karl Marx and the Conference called upon the delegates to assimilate his teachings and carry forward the message to the grass roots level to expose conspiracies of imperialism led by USA. Among the foreign delegates in the Conference were those from Soviet Union and Peoples Republic of China. Among those greeted the conference was Com. Indrajit Gupta, General Secretary AITUC and O.P. Aghi Secretary BMS. On behalf of All India Kisan Sabha, Com. Harkishan Sigh Surjeet greeted the Conference. 2196 delegates including 57 women, 43 observers and 16 fraternal delegates attended the conference. 1069 delegates had been to jail. Com. BTR was reelected as President and Samar Mukherjee was the new General Secretary. Com. PR was one of the eleven Vice Presidents. Com. E. Balanandan was elected as Treasurer. Totally there were 20 secretariat members. Com. BTR in his concluding address referred to the increasing lockouts and called upon the delegates “to convert the anti lock-out struggles into democratic struggles against this anti-social Act of employers”. Referring to the formation of National Campaign Committee and the country wide general strike on 19th January 1982, he said that the consciousness about unity and united struggles is growing and that is a welcome feature.
Sixth Conference at Mumbai
The Sixth Conference was held in Mumbai, 18-22 May 1987. This was the second time Mumbai was hosting the Conference. The period after the fifth conference was a period of rapid changes in our country and the world. The conference noted that because of persistent efforts and overcoming many obstacles, the struggle for trade union unity has been successful and this unity has been strengthened. It was also noted that inspite of various endeavours, “United strength of working class has not succeeded in stunning the tide of economic offensive”.
The period after fifth conference was a period of fight against communal, divisive and disruptive forces and CITU committees and unions have been in the forefront of struggle against these forces.
This conference reiterated the clarion call for formation of a “Confederation of Central Trade Unions, and national federations, where all issues concerning labour and economic policy can be discussed freely and decisions taken unanimously”.
A full day session on issues of working women was held.
Com. Jyoti Basu, third time Chief Minister of West Bengal and Vice-President, addressed the conference, exhorting the delegates to be more organized, united and politically conscious, against the policies of Central Government, which were increasingly directed against the working class. He explained the relation between left front government in West Bengal and the working class, Com. Jyoti Basu, said that the Govt. has called upon the employers to meet genuine demands of workers, otherwise workers will be compelled to resort to agitation and strikes.
Com. B.T. Ranadive, Samar Mukherjee and E. Balanandan were reelected as President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Out of the total 26 Secretariat members, there were 3 women – Sushila Gopalan, Ahalya Rangnekar and Vimala Ranadive.
The Conference venue at Mumbai was named after Com. V.P. Chintan a senior leder of CITU from Tamilnadu. He died in Moscow on 8th May, where he had gone on behalf of CITU to attend May Day celebrations.
2366 delegates and 80 observers attended the conference among them 134 were women. 1114 comrades were attending the conference for first time and 209 had attended all the five previous conference.
Seventh Conference
Calcutta hosted the Seventh Conference, from 13 to 17 February 1991. This was the second time the Conference was being held there, the first being the foundation conference.
21 years after the foundation conference, the working class was facing new challenges. This was the first time, CITU was holding its conference without Coms. BTR and PR amongst the delegates. Com. Jyoti Basu presided over the inaugural session.
The Conference noted the increase in membership despite increasing closures. Com. Samar Mukherjee stressed the need for collective and democratic functioning at all levels.
Com. Jyoti Basu, in his concluding speech, referred to the dangerous growth of communal and divisive forces and called upon the working class, to defeat and isolate them. He laid stress on bringing the workers in the unorganized sector into the fold of trade union actions.
The Conference elected Coms. E. Balanandan and M.K. Pandhe as President and General Secretary. Both of them were members of the Secretariat from the foundation conference. Ranjit Basu was the new treasurer.
The Conference concluded with a mass rally at Brigade Parade Ground on 17th. CITU membership crossed 20 lakhs by the time of this conference. 2341 delegates and 121 observers attended the conference. There were 121 women participants in the conference.
Working Womens Convention
A separate convention of working women was held prior to the conference, on 12th and 13th February, attended by 475 delegates from 18 states. This was the new beginning of having separate convention of working women at national level after the separate sessions in conference, which stated in 4th Conference in 1979.
Patna Conference
The Eighth Conference was held in Patna, from 3 to 7 March 1994. The clarion call of the Conference was to further strengthen the united movement of Trade Unions and also to strengthen the united movements with other mass organizations. Stepping up the actions against the IMF prescribed policies of the Narasimha Rao Govt. was the need of the hour. This was the message from the conference.
Presided by Com. E. Balanandan, the conference was inaugurated by Com.Jyoti Basu, Vice-President and Chief Minister of West Bengal. The mass rally was held in the afternoon.
Nine Commissions were formed to discuss various important issues. Conference held detailed discussions on the new economic policies.
In his concluding address Com. E. Balanandan pointed out that “Unity of the T.U. movement to-day is reflected not only for defending the rights of the working class but for defending the unity and integrity of the country and its sovereignty. The fight against all round offensive by imperialism is therefore to be further strengthened and given shape of mass actions”.
Com. E. Balanandan and M.K. Pandhe were reelected President and General Secretary. Com. Saroj Choudhary was elected Treasurer. There were 16 Vice-president and 20 Secretaries.
2031 delegates from 21 States including 133 women attended the Conference.
Ninth Conference
Kochi hosted the CITU Conference for the second time from 21-26 April 1997. “Towards big battles against Globalisation and Liberalisation” was the call of the ninth conference.
Building up the unity of the working class was stressed in the sessions of the conference. A Seminar on T.U. unity in the struggle against the New Economic Policy was held which was addressed by leaders of other Central TUs including A.B. Bardhan (AITUC). AITUC and HMS proposed immediate merger of central TUs in the seminar. CITU emphasized the need of formation of a confederation of all central T.Us, which would further pave the way for formation of a singe national T.U. centre in the country. There were six commissions, discussing various important subjects.
On 20th April, fifth Convention of working women was held. 307 delegates from 17 states attended. Com. E.K. Nayanar, Chief Minister of Kerala, addressed the Delegate Session and the public rally. 2409 delegates attended the conference. 178 were women.
E. Balanandan, M.K. Pandhe and Ranjit Basu were elected President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Total Secretariat members were 36.
(to be continued.......compiled by AKP)
Forward to 20-21 February Strike
EDITORIAL OF "THE WORKING CLASS", CITU JOURNAL
Forward to 20-21 February Strike
The working class of the country is gearing itself up for the countrywide strike on 20 – 21 February. The call for a two day strike by the joint trade union movement has evoked great enthusiasm which is evident in the preparatory campaigns and the action programmes which have been going on all over the country during the last four months.
This strike, the fifteenth since the advent of the neoliberal policies is part of the untiring efforts of the working class to force the government to heed to the demands of not just the workers but the crores of common people toiling day and night but find it increasingly impossible to make ends meet. By raising the demands of – immediate measures to curb the ever increasing prices, universalise the public distribution system, minimum wages, pension for all, social security for unorganised sector, strict implementation of labour laws, stop the inhuman contract system, disinvestment etc, the working class is seeking decent and dignified living for all the citizens of the country and protection of the sovereignty and self reliance of the nation.
It is for this reason that this strike has received immense support not only from the workers but also from other sections as well. The peasants, the agricultural workers’ organisations have decided to synchronise their protest actions – to go on strike on the same days – 20 – 21 February and organise massive demonstrations all over the country supporting these demands and also raising their other demands.
But the UPA government is determined to push ahead with its neoliberal agenda. It has announced a host of measures that would mount further burdens on the people by further escalating the prices and leading to loss of their livelihood – deregulation of diesel prices, cut down subsidies on fertiliser, curtailment of subsidised cooking gas, FDI in retail trade, direct cash transfers, further liberalisation of the financial sector, disinvestment, etc. It has passed the Banking Laws (Amendment) bill. The government has notified the national pharmaceutical pricing policy that will lead to huge increase in the already high prices of medicines making them out of reach for the common people. It has also brazenly announced its decision to postpone the implementation of the GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) up to 2016 thereby providing relief to the national and multinational corporate houses by allowing them to avoid payment of taxes by various means.
The anger of the people against the insensitivity of the government found its expression recently in Delhi on two occasions - the unexpectedly huge mobilisation in the joint trade union march to Parliament on 20th December and the spontaneous militant demonstrations on the issue of the gang rape of the young para medical student in Delhi. The huge participation of people, particularly of the young in the aftermath of the Delhi gang rape is an expression of anger against the insecurity faced by women in society as well as an outburst of the pent up discontent, anger, anxiety of the people particularly of the young about their futures.
The urge for profit maximisation by any and all means, a characteristic feature of neoliberalism has led to increased attacks on the rights of all sections of the working people. Together with the prevalent patriarchal attitudes in the society, these have also led to increasing violence against women and commodification of their bodies. The trade union movement has to fight against both neoliberal policies and patriarchal attitudes.
As a trade union committed to unite the entire working class for the emancipation of society, CITU has to fight both the neoliberal policies and the existing patriarchal attitude. While making all out efforts to ensure that the ensuing country wide joint strike on 20 -21 February turn out to be historic in the annals of the trade union movement of the country, let us also pledge to intensify our fight for women’s right to equality.
"THE DARK" ON COALMINE WORKERS INCLUDED IN THE ALJAZEERA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Sunday, February 3, 2013
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