CITU – Centre of Indian Trade Unions

CITU – Centre of Indian Trade Unions - May Day Manifesto 2026

On this May Day 2026, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) extends revolutionary greetings to the working people across the world who are fighting the intensified onslaught of the crisis-ridden neoliberal capitalist order, together with aggressive imperialist hegemonic attacks, and defending their rights, livelihoods, and dignity. Upholding proletarian internationalism, we express our solidarity with workers everywhere in their struggles against exploitation, discrimination, and war, and for peace, democracy, and better living conditions.

CITU salutes the working class of India for carrying on their combative struggles with continuity during the intervening year, across sectors throughout the country, culminating in two massively successful countrywide general strikes in the past year under the joint platform of central trade unions and independent sectoral federations.

And in continuity, the call of resistance and defiance has been continuing more vigorously, expressing itself in a more heroic, militant form in the industrial belts of North India - from Barauni and Panipat to Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Surat - and in hundreds of other industrial centres. In the South, including Telangana and Karnataka, tens of thousands of contract workers have risen in combative struggle against the continuing onslaught on the basic entitlements and rights of workers, such as sustainable minimum wages, the eight-hour working day, job security, social security, and dignity. Despite brutal repression, arrests, illegal detentions, and state-backed intimidation, the workers have shown exemplary courage, reaffirming that the spirit of determination for combative struggle by the working class cannot be crushed.

CITU strongly condemns the fascistic and authoritarian repression being unleashed by the state machinery on these struggles for the basic human entitlements of the workers who are creating value and resources for the country. The capitalist onslaughts on, and denial of, these basic entitlements of the working people are mostly in arrogant violation of the existing statutes and constitutional provisions, which the state machinery and the Governments, both at the centre and in most of the states, are shamelessly violating as their most obedient servants. Workers are being beaten, leaders detained, and democratic rights trampled upon only to defend corporate looting of workers. This naked alliance of state power and big capital exposes the very system and the real character of the ruling regime. CITU pledges to carry forward this struggle against this very system of brutal, state-sponsored exploitation by big capital.

CITU greets the international class-oriented working-class movement under the leadership of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) for its consistent resistance against imperialism and neo-fascist forces, and also for its consistent support and solidarity with the struggles of the Indian working class. We stand firmly with the people of Palestine resisting genocide. We stand with Venezuela, Iran, and all nations defending sovereignty against imperialist aggression. CITU stands in solidarity with socialist Cuba and its people fighting the most inhuman phase of the blockade and aggression of imperialism. CITU greets the working class of socialist countries for upholding the flag of socialism high.

The ongoing war unleashed by the United States administration led by Donald Trump on Iran has once again exposed the utterly destructive hegemonic character of imperialism, seeking to recolonise the world and trampling the international order and the related institutions put in place after the Second World War following the defeat of fascism to safeguard the sovereignty of nations. We must also note the brave resistance by Iran to US imperialist gangsterism. It is owing to the irresponsible, uncivilised, hysteric actions of US imperialism that the war has spread to the entire Middle East, with grievous impact on the entire world economy and its toiling people. The military aggression, airstrikes, and economic blockade have pushed the region into instability and disrupted global energy supplies, including through the crucial Strait of Hormuz, through which a major share of world oil passes. This war is for total US control over resources and US geopolitical domination, and its burden is being borne by working people across the world through rising prices, job losses, closure of industries, uncertainty, and insecurity. CITU reiterates its resolve to intensify its efforts for a peaceful world against imperialist wars.

CITU opposes and condemns US imperialist gangsterism and the opportunist silence of most of the countries under capitalist governance, including India, to such imperialist hegemonism in total violation of international law and order. At the same time, CITU welcomes and is encouraged by the continuing opposition of common people, the working people in particular, in most countries of the world, including in the USA and Israel, who have come out onto the streets in their millions to condemn such US barbarism. This also brings forth the need for more vocal and widespread assertion by the Indian working class in condemnation and opposition to imperialist hegemonism, along with exposing the servile posture of the BJP government at the centre to US dictates. Our opposition to imperialist hegemonism and for peace must be centred on militant opposition to US imperialist war and gangsterism and the servile, surrenderist role of the Modi government to US dictates, severely compromising national interests and the interests of the people. It must be premised on forthright, combative opposition to the neoliberal capitalist order that imperialism has been operating to protect globally.

The global capitalist system is in deep crisis, marked by stagnation, rising inequality, unemployment, and hunger. Imperialist forces are attempting to shift the entire burden of this crisis onto workers and the people of the Global South. At the same time, workers across countries are rising in resistance, signalling the emergence of a new wave of struggles against neoliberal capitalism. CITU salutes and stands in solidarity with various sections of the working people in different countries across continents who have waged valiant struggles against class exploitation during this period.

In India, the working people are facing an aggressive offensive by a corporate-communal and authoritarian regime. The notification and implementation of the Labour Codes aim to dismantle hard-won rights - the eight-hour workday, minimum wages, social security, and the right to unionise - pushing workers into conditions of extreme precarity. The achievements of the historic May Day struggles are being sought to be totally reversed. Contractualisation, outsourcing, gig work, and informalisation are expanding rapidly, creating a vast rightless workforce - a condition of virtual slavery for workers and people. The political governance system is also being pushed towards total authoritarianism in a neo-fascist orientation.

The use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, is being driven by profit maximisation, leading to job losses, surveillance, and intensification of exploitation. Permanent employment is being replaced by insecure and informal arrangements, pushing workers towards a new regime of exploitation resembling modern-day servitude.

The country is witnessing unprecedented unemployment, declining real wages, and growing inequality. The share of wages is shrinking while corporate profits are soaring. Instead of addressing the people’s issues, the Government of India is shamelessly surrendering to imperialist pressure and is aggressively pushing through its neoliberal agenda, endangering the sovereignty of the country and undermining the Constitution. Federal rights are being curtailed further. Privatisation through the National Monetisation Pipeline, 100% FDI in key sectors including agriculture, and the dismantling of public services are intensifying exploitation. Cuts in public expenditure on employment, food, health, and education are pushing millions into deeper poverty, while rising indebtedness is trapping workers and peasants in a vicious cycle of distress. Draconian acts are being pushed through by the government; rights-based schemes like MNREGA have been dismantled; and disastrous trade deals are being signed with the US and many other countries, which will further aggravate the situation.

Simultaneously, democratic rights are under severe attack. Repression of workers’ struggles, curbing of civil liberties, and the growing use of state power to silence dissent have become the norm. Communal polarisation is being systematically promoted to divide the working people and weaken their unity. Violence against women, caste oppression, and regressive social practices are on the rise.

CITU salutes the peasantry for their resistance to the onslaught on Indian agriculture through many militant struggles. CITU firmly asserts that the unity of the working class and peasantry is the strongest weapon against this corporate-communal nexus. The growing joint struggles of workers and farmers, along with militant sectoral movements like those in the industrial belts of North India, are paving the way for a broader and more powerful people’s movement against this corporate-communal nexus. CITU also greets all other sections - Women, Youth, Students, Tribals, Dalits, etc. - fighting the neoliberal imperialist onslaught.

On this May Day, CITU calls upon the working class, peasantry, and all toiling people to intensify united struggles against privatisation, labour law dilution, corporate takeover of Indian agriculture, attacks on federal rights, unemployment, price rise, and authoritarian repression, and to take all these struggles to a more combative height both sectorally and nationally. We pledge to defend trade union rights, fight for secure employment, living wages, and universal social security, and to resist all attempts to divide the people on communal, caste, or sectarian lines.

CITU reiterates its commitment to building a powerful worker-peasant alliance and advancing the struggle for an alternative social order free from exploitation, inequality, and oppression.

Let us reiterate, on the occasion of May Day 2026, the understanding formulated at our 18th Conference of CITU, as a guide to all our actions and initiatives. We are fighting against the disastrous impacts of the neoliberal capitalist order engulfed in a severe systemic crisis. Our goal is to elevate the struggle against this barbarous, exploitative system itself, to change it, and also to heighten it towards combative defiance and resistance. The working class is destined to lead this struggle for all sections of the toiling masses, turning the crisis into a consciousness geared toward social change.

On this May Day, remembering the martyrs of the working-class movement, CITU pledges:

To intensify and heighten struggles on all immediate demands of the working class and toiling people
To strengthen worker-peasant unity and build the broadest democratic resistance
To expose the systemic crisis of capitalism and imperialist wars, and to carry our struggle towards consciousness for transcending the exploitative system itself, towards the struggle for socialism

Long Live May Day!
Long Live Worker-Peasant Unity!
Down with Neoliberalism!
Down With Imperialism!
Long Live Socialism!

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