Items filtered by date: May 2014
EPFO CIRCULAR SHOULD NOT TAKE AWAY EXISTING BENEFITS
Press Release
31st May 2014
It is reported in the media, that a circular has been issued by EPFO, stating that employers paying Provident Contributions to their employees can limit their contributions to the salary limit of Rs.6500 per month. It is reported that the clarification is on the basis of a Supreme Court judgment in 2011. What prompted the EPFO to issue a circular now after such a long time is not known. CITU demands that this should no way result in curtailing the existing benefits in the matter of PF contribution of employer which the employees in various private and public sector enterprises are now getting. In this context, CITU wants to point out that the Govt. has not yet implemented the decision of CBT to increase the salary limit to Rs.15,000 per month for PF contribution which was to be implemented from 1st April 2014. The decision to increase the wage ceiling and and also to increase the minimum pension to Rs.1000 per month was unanimously taken by Central Board of Trustees and approved by Cabinet in February 2014. CITU while demanding immediate implementation of increased ceiling and minimum pension of Rs.1000, also demands that the circular of EPFO should not lead to curtailment of existing benefits to any worker.
Issued by
( A K PADMANABHAN )
President
CITU OPPOSES MOVE FOR 100% FDI IN DEFENCE PRODUCTION
Press Release
30th May 2014
CITU OPPOSES MOVE FOR
ALLOWING 100% FDI IN DEFENCE PRODUCTION
FOR DISINVESTMENT/PRIVATISATION OF PSUs
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) strongly opposes Modi government’s move, as reported by the media, for allowing 100% FDI in defence sector. Such move is totally detrimental to the interests of the indigenous defence production network, mainly under government departments and PSUs, and also to national security-management and preparedness. Such move would also directly provoke disinvestment/privatization of the Defence PSUs and Ordinance factories establishment via corporatization route which could so long be successfully resisted by the united trade union movement in the country as well as all the defence sector federations including those having allegiance with the political party in power.
The CITU also expresses its deep concern and strong opposition to the overzealous drive of the government to push through disinvestment of shares in highly profit-making PSUs, mostly in the strategic, infrastructure and natural resources sector of the economy. As reported by the press, the Government has reportedly taken up as their priority agenda for off-loading government’s residual stakes at aluminum major BALCO and also expediting disinvestment in other blue-chip PSUs already shortlisted by the disinvestment department of the previous Government.
CITU urges the Government to take serious note of the unanimous opposition of the working people of the country, who actually creates GDP for the country as well as resources for the national exchequer to such disastrous exercises of disinvestment and privatization and unrestricted FDI. Such opposition has been voiced through numerous agitations by the united platform of the entire trade union movement in the country irrespective of affiliations and political allegiances during last five years.
CITU demands of the Government to restrain itself from such moves which are detrimental to the interests of the people as well as of the national economy; and calls upon the trade unions and working people to unitedly voice their opposition and put up resistance to such disastrous moves.
Issued by
( TAPAN SEN )
General Secretary
Condolence Comrade R Umanath
21st May 2014
COMRADE R UMANATH
CITU deeply mourns the demise of Comrade R Umanath, a veteran freedom-fighter, stalwart of the working class movement and of communist movement of the country who passed away on 21st May 2014 at around 7-15 am at Tiruchirapally after prolonged illness at the age of 93.
A life-long revolutionary, over seven decades of political and public life, right from his school days at Kozhicode; Comrade Umanath was a frontline organizer and leader braving atrocities, attacks and imprisonment during both, British rule and independent India. His entire life is a commentary of struggle and sacrifice for the cause of the country and its toiling people. Altogether he was imprisoned for nine and half years and underground life for seven years.
He joined the communist movement in his early young age as a whole-timer in 1940 to work in the-then Madras Presidency area despite pressing family obligation. In 1940s itself he was arrested by the British rulers and convicted for two and half years’ imprisonment. After his release from jail, he started working among textile, cement and beedi workers in Coimbatore area and among railway workers in Tiruchirapally in Tamilnadu organizing them in trade unions and led numerous strike struggles. He played frontline role in various capacities in building and leading the working class movement in Tamilnadu and also in other parts of the country. In early post independence period, the Left movement and the trade union movement had to face tremendous atrocities and attacks of hired goons and the police.
Comrade Umanath was one of the founders of CITU and was elected as the first General Secretary of the Tamilnadu CITU in 1970 and continued in that position till 1993 when became its state President till 1996. He was the national vice president of CITU From 1987 to 2010.
He was elected to the Central Committee of CPI(M) in 1978 and became its Polit Bureau member in 1991 and continued as PB member till Kozhikode Congress in 2012, where he was elected as a special invitee to the central committee. He was elected to Lok Sabha in 1962 and 1967 from Pudukottai in Tamilnadu and in the Tamilnadu State Legislatiure from Nagapattinam in 1977 and was re-elected in 1980.
Comrade Umanath had always remained concerned for inculcating revolutionary consciousness among the workers and activists of trade union movement considering the leading role of the working class in fighting and ending the exploitative regime. During his work at CITU Centre in the late eighties and early nineties, Comrade Umanath contributed valuable inputs in formulating the organizational document of CITU which is popularly known as Bhubaneswar Document.
At his demise, the working class movement lost a great leader and guide. CITU Secretariat pays deep respectful homage to, recalls the great contribution and legacy of and salutes comrade Umanath and conveys heartfelt condolence to the bereaved comrades and family members of the departed leader.
Tapan Sen
General Secretary
CITU DENOUNCES THE BACKDOOR PRIVATISATION OF SBI
02.05.2014
It is reported that the State Bank of India (SBI) has signed up Reliance Money Infrastructure (RMIL), an Anil Arnbani Group company, in a 'business correspondent' deal to source a range of banking services.The deal authorises RMIL to identify borrowers; collect, process, and submit loan applications; promote credit groups.take up post-sanction monitoring, follow-up, and recovery. As the service provider, RMILwill also collect small-value deposits; sell micro-insurance, mutual fund and pension products; and receive and deliver small-value remittances. According to the report the deal which was concluded onFebruary 25 this year had been made effective with retrospective effect from October 5, 2013.
This is nothing but backdoor privatization of the basic segment of the banking operation in the leading Public Sector bank like SBI-- the core area of lending, recovery and also a part of deposit collectionwork.
We fear that this strategy now started with SBI will make inroads in other nationalized banks.The outsourcing is being done to agencies controlled by the largest monopoly house which had beennamed by the CAG in a recent scam, having a clear conflict of interest striking at the root of the verypurpose of bank nationalization. Moreover, the Reserve Bank of India has blacklisted many of theservice providers engaged by AXIS BANK, HDFC BANK etc., in the recent past, mainly because these agencies breached the trust of the banks that have engaged them.
The amendment of banking regulations carried out in a UPA-NDAjoint operation inside Parliament has allowed a big number of private banks to enter into the field. The present move of outsourcing core lending cum deposit related jobs in nationalized banks is complementary to the former and the project isone of privatization of the entire banking operation and economy. This will be disastrous to the national economy, which could survive the global financial crisis primarily due to the nationalized banks. Thisalso exposes the real intent of the Congress and BJP policies in favor of corporate cliques, both domestic and foreign.
Centre of Indian Trade Unions opposes any move to privatise the Public Sectorl Banks in any form. This move must be resisted tooth and nail. The CITU extends full support and solidarity to the Bank Employees Federations in their struggle against this move. We call upon the people in general and working class in particular to oppose this atrocious move by the SBI.
Issued by,
A R SINDHU
Secretary
