MAY DAY MANIFESTO, 2019

On this May Day, the Day of International Solidarity of the Working Class, CITU

Extends warm fraternal greetings to all working people across the world

Stands in solidarity with their struggles to defend their hard won rights from the dogged onslaught of neoliberalism, particularly in the aftermath of the systemic global crisis of capitalism, which continues even after more than a decade.

On this May Day, CITU

Condemns in strongest terms the imperialist led interventions, sabotage activities, attacks and wars in Venezuela, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and other countries; Extends its solidarity to the people and all progressive forces in these countries fighting US imperialist machinations; Deplores Israeli attempts, with open connivance of US imperialism to annexe Palestine territories; demands recognition of independent sovereign state of Palestine with 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital.

Reiterates firmly that fight against imperialism is an integral part of the class struggle to defeat the exploitative capitalist system and usher in exploitation free socialist system, to which CITU is firmly committed

Stands with the people in socialist countries defending socialism and their right to independently and freely choose the social system of their choice without any external interference or aggression;

In particular, reaffirms its solidarity with the struggle of socialist Cuba against US imperialist machinations and demands withdrawal of illegitimate sanctions imposed on them.

Raises its serious alarm at the rise in the Right wing, Regressive, Reactionary, Racist, Neo-fascist-and Terrorist forces in different parts of the world, being promoted by international finance and the corporate class to divide people and disrupt united struggles against neoliberalism; Stands in rock solidarity with all peoples across the world fighting these forces which offer no alternative to neoliberalism but utilise people’s discontent to divert it into fratricidal fights to serve their corporate masters; Calls upon the working class and the toiling people across the world to identify and isolate these enemies of the people and protect people’s unity with all their might

Congratulates the workers across the world, including in developed countries who have been increasingly joining struggles against the so called ‘austerity policies’, to protect their rights, wages and working and living conditions; Heartily congratulates the working class of India for the magnificent two days’ strike, the 18^th countrywide general strike since the advent of neoliberal policies in the country, on 8-9 January 2019; extends its gratitude to the peasants, agricultural workers and all sections of progressive people who have extended their solidarity to the strike; many other sections of workers including in defence-production, telecom etc who went on three days’ strike; extends solidarity to the struggling workers in many units of multinational corporations like Daikin, Toyoda, Yamaha, Pricol, etc in various parts of the country

Salutes the working class and the people in West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala and in other states who have been bravely resisting the onslaughts on their basic democratic rights by the ruling classes using their musclemen. The Trinamool goons in West Bengal and the BJP hoodlums in Tripura have been physically attacking the people, particularly supporters of the Left; the state governments have made a mockery of the democratic process not allowing people to vote freely. Scores of Left cadres and supporters have been physically assaulted, injured and killed. However, the working class in these states have been increasingly resisting such attacks. The BJP has been trying to gain influence in Kerala by opportunistically promoting its retrograde and regressive ‘Hindutva’ ideology undermining Constitutional bodies including the Supreme Court. The RSS goons have been trying to spread hate and violence attacking and killing the Left cadres.

Expresses anger at the growing attacks on the dalits and minorities in various parts of the country, particularly in the BJP ruled states; While being ideologically committed to the retrograde and hierarchical manusmriti that seeks to suppress dalits, adivasis and women BJP and RSS seek to hoodwink and woo dalits only for their electoral gains

Affirms its belief that that majority and minority communalism and fundamentalism thrive on each other; communalisms of whatever colours and flags divide people, disrupt their unity, divert their attention from real day to day issues, weaken their struggle against the real culprit – the neoliberal policies and the exploitative system; ultimately all forms of communalism serve the exploiting classes

Appreciates the committed and consistent efforts of its cadres in all these states to protect the unity of the workers by keeping alive the discourse on their livelihood issues exposing the anti-worker policies of the governments and safeguarding their united struggles and the secular ethos of the country.

Notes with utmost concern the aggravating inequalities and concentration of wealth, produced by the sweat and blood of the toiling masses, in the hands of a few under neoliberalism; this wealth is amassed by increasing exploitation of the working people, cronyism, evading taxes and grabbing public properties and natural resources – land, forests, mines, waters – displacing poor peasants, adivasis and others

Fully supports the call of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) to observe this May Day with the slogan ‘The Wealth Belongs To Those Who Produce It’; CITU commits to strengthen the WFTU in its efforts to strengthen the struggle against the exploitative capitalist system with more determined class orientation

Expresses outrage that in the profit driven capitalist system, the huge scientific and technological advances achieved through the collective efforts of humanity, are cornered by a few countries and a few corporates who use them, not for the benefit of the people but to multiply their profits and impoverish the toiling class. It is a shame for all humanity that millions of people suffer from unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, ill health, lack of housing and basic amenities of life, in the midst of such wealth locked in the hands of a few; Asserts that such inhuman system, the capitalist system, has no right to continue. It cannot be allowed to continue

On this May Day, CITU

Pledges to heighten the consciousness of the workers on the role of the working class in uprooting the capitalist system and to prepare it for the ultimate struggle to end all exploitation

This May Day, coming as it is, in the midst of the Elections to the Parliament in our country, India,

CITU

Calls upon the working class, all the toiling people, progressive, patriotic and forward looking people of the country

To Decisively Defeat the Anti worker, Anti people and Anti national BJP that has been aggressively pursuing the corporate dictated neoliberal agenda along with the RSS driven communal and divisive policies. It calls upon the people to strengthen the presence of the Left, the real friend of the toiling people, inside the Parliament.

During its five year tenure, the BJP led government of Modi has mortgaged the nation’s interest at the altar of the profit greedy corporates, domestic and foreign, wreaking havoc in the lives and livelihoods of the people. It has been actively working to destroy the indigenous manufacturing capabilities of our country including in core and strategic sectors like defence production to make the country perpetually dependent on the imperialist owned foreign capital. Our public sector undertakings, our natural resources, our land, our mines, our forests, our seas are being offered to big domestic and foreign corporates on a platter for unbridled exploitation, whereas our farmers, our adivasis, our fishers and our workers are losing their only sources of livelihood.

Even as neoliberalism is getting more and more discredited globally, the BJP led government under the dictates of international finance, has been pursuing it more aggressively, with a single minded focus on improving the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ by promoting ‘Ease of Looting People and Country’s Resources’. The basic labour and trade union rights of the workers, the democratic and Constitutional rights of the people are under serious attack. Slave like conditions are sought to be imposed on workers. Dissenting voices are being crushed underfoot. Human Rights activists are being threatened, attacked, jailed and even killed.

Successive years of imperialist led neoliberalism, intensified under the BJP rule have:

Resulted in Job less and Job loss growth
No new employment-generating private investment worth its name; industries are closing
Increased unemployment to an alarming height, particularly among our youth; unemployment today is at 45 years’ high
Led to disappearance of decent, dignified and permanent jobs
Resulted in stagnation, even decline of wages for most of the workers
Increased inequalities in wages, income and wealth
Continued farmers’ suicides and rural distress
Reduced MGNREGA work
Slowed down the economy

On this May Day, CITU

Welcomes the growing struggles of the workers, peasants, agricultural workers, youth, students – all sections of society to defend their livelihoods, living and working conditions; CITU welcomes the growing struggles of various sections including Dalits and adivasis to assert their Constitutional and democratic rights

Calls upon the working class and the toiling people to intensify these struggles further, whichever government comes to power after the elections, with the aim to defeat the neoliberal regime; to intensify united struggles to change the direction of the policies from ‘pro corporate’ to ‘pro people’.

Asserts that the country has enough resources to bring about this change; it has vast human resources; it has the necessary financial resources to deploy our youth, our men and women in gainful employment and provide decent minimum wages, food for all, houses for all, education for all, health for all, universal social security and old age pension for all needy and all the basic necessities for a decent and dignified life for all.

On this May Day, CITU

Reiterates its conviction that the challenges confronting the working class and the toiling people in the country today necessitate three pronged struggle – the struggle against neoliberalism, against divisive communal and casteist forces and against authoritarianism.

Proclaims its determination to mobilise the entire working class in the country to effectively face these challenges.

It reiterates its strong determination to strengthen and widen the unity of all sections of toiling people and mobilise them into united struggles; this is the prerequisite for heightening the struggle for resistance to the anti-people socio-economic-political regime.

Stresses the need for unity of the workers, poor peasants and agricultural workers to fight the neoliberal order and the capitalist system that subjects all of them to intense exploitation and resolve to work in that direction.

Is determined to take up independent campaigns, initiatives to strengthen the joint trade union movement as well as united struggles of all toiling masses by placing concrete alternative policies to neoliberalism in order to achieve widest possible mobilisation of the toiling masses.

Pledges to observe the centenary year of the formation of first national trade union centre in the country and beginning of the fiftieth year of foundation of CITU throughout 2019-20 with the theme slogan: “100 years of struggles and sacrifices-50 years of fight for unity of the working class” through various educative programmes and activities focussed on “unity and struggle”.

Reiterates its belief that development of such massive struggles and its pursuit in continuity alone can lead to a comprehensive change in the correlation of class forces in favour of the working class.

On this May Day 2019, CITU appeals to the working class of India to:

Strengthen unity and intensify the struggle to defeat neoliberal policies and for alternative pro worker pro people policies

Deepen bonds of solidarity among all sections of toiling people – workers, agricultural workers, poor peasants; Develop stronger united struggles of workers and peasants at all levels including village and district level

Be vigilant and defeat the machinations of communal and casteist forces to disrupt unity

Identify the real enemy of the working class and all sections of toiling people – the capitalist system and the politics and forces that promote the system; prepare for the struggle to change this exploitative system

On this May Day CITU Raises its banner in support of

International Working Class Solidarity and Unity Against all Exploitation and Oppression

Down With Capitalism and Imperialism
Long Live Socialism
Workers of the World Unite

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