Trade Unions Call For Struggle Against UPA’s Anti-People, Anti-Worker Policies!
On July 9, a range of Trade Unions held a National Convention at Mavalankar Auditorium in Delhi , to chalk out a plan of action against the UPA’s offensive against the working class and common people. The Convention adopted the following Declaration:
We demand of the Government of India to immediately effect a directional change in its economic policies and take actions on the following urgent demands:
1. Enact comprehensive legislation on service conditions and social security for unorganised sector workers and agricultural workers with adequate government funding and effective monitoring system.
2. Suitably amend/change the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill to ensure employment guarantee for the rural and urban unemployed within a time frame in line with commitment made in NCMP.
3. Halt moves towards downsizing of work force and lift ban on recruitment; stop contractorisation.
4. Strengthen inspection and enforcement machinery to ensure strict implementation of all labour laws including statutory minimum wages in all sectors including SEZs and EPZs; no pro-employer changes in labour laws in the name of flexibility.
5. Enact legislation to prevent sexual harassment of women at work place and ensure full protection to women against atrocities.
6. Stop privatisation and disinvestment of profit making and strategic sector PSUs including nationalised banks, telecom, airports, port & dock, public transport etc; no privatisation of public services and utilities; stop merger of banks; no corporatisation of defence production units.
7. Take urgent measures for revival of sick/loss making but potentially viable PSUs.
8. Rescind measures raising FDI cap in telecom sector and permitting FDI in defence sector; drop proposed raising of cap on FDI in banking and insurance sectors; halt step to allow FDI in coal, retail and pension sectors; withdraw amendment bills on Banking Regulation and Reserve Bank of India Acts.
9. Review Electricity Act, 2003 and the National Electricity Policy (announced on February 3, 2005 ); repeal provisions against cross-subsidisation and on unbundling and privatisation of SEBs; eliminate rural-urban divide; ensure supply to rural areas, agricultural sector and urban weaker sections.
10. Undertake immediate legislative measures to ensure right to strike for all workers and employees including in government services. Ensure unfettered right to organise and collective bargaining.
11. Constitute Sixth Pay Commission for the Govt. employees.
12. Remove ceilings on eligibility and calculation in Payment of Bonus Act.
13. Raise interest rates on EPF, GPF, CMPF, PPF and small savings instruments by raising the administered rate of interest; scrap New Pension System and the PFRDA Bill; restore the pre-2004 pension scheme for the new entrants in Govt. services.
14. Carry out land reforms and step up public investment for irrigation facilities.
15. Strengthen public distribution system.
16. Take stringent measures for recovering NPAs and unpaid tax arrears from the defaulters in the corporate and big business lobby.
The Convention called upon workers all over the country to unite and participate in the various protest programmes organized by the Unions. To press for immediate realisation of the above demands, an Action Programme was chalked out, including State and Distrcit level and Sectoral Conventions between 20 th July to 20 th August, Demonstrations/rallies and dharnas in all workplaces, industrial centres culminating in State/District level rallies between 27 th August to 7 th September, Observance of NATONAL MOBILISATION DAY and Serving of Strike Notice on 15 th September, and culminating in a Countrywide General Strike on 29 th September.
The Declaration and Call to Action was issued by the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions (Central Trade Union Organisations viz. AITUC, AICCTU, CITU, HMS, TUCC, UTUC and UTUC-LS and all India Federations/Associations of employees and workers in Bank, Insurance, Railways, Central and State Govt. offices/departments, Telecom, Postal, Defence, Petroleum and other sectors)