The Centre of Indian Trade Unions denounces the hectic move to hand over six airports of the country mostly in the state capitals cities to chosen private player on the terms which clearly appear to be a big bonanza to the most favoured private corporate-the Adani Group, which incidentally had no exposure to airport or aviation related sector. The airports at Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Trivundrum, Mangalore and Guwahati have been put on fast track privatisation with a target to complete the deal well before election is announced.

All these airports, rather the national assets under sale were developed and modernized  by Airport Authority during the span of last decade spending thousands  of crores of rupees of tax-payers money. Now, the Modi Govt is in a visible haste to hand over these readymade functional as well as profit making airports to the private hands at a time when the Govt’s tenure is coming to end within months.

And for handing over the these readymade modernized airports with huge real estate assets, altogether new modalities have been discovered by the BJP Govt, may be to celebrate its latest pre-election deal with corporates,  which is  quite innovative to ensure a big bonanza to the most favoured private buyer. The private operator will be required to pay the Airport  Authority an amount  ranging from Rs 115/- to Rs 174/- per month per passenger. And there will be no sharing of the huge non-aeronautical commercial revenues out of the real estate and huge commercial space annexed to every airport, which is always much higher than the aeronautical revenues for almost all the airports under sale.

It is reported in the media that post-privatisation of these six airports, Airport Authority will be getting an upfront payment of around Rs 2500 crore within 90 days and thereafter Rs 525 crore annually as concession fee. Can these paltry return to AAI be compared with the total amount AAI has spent towards modernization and development of these six airports. If this comparison is made and also the incremental  prospect of revenue generation from these airports in the background of fast expanding aviation sector is taken into account honestly, then this major pre-election deal by Modi Govt is going to be big bonanza to the favoured private player at the irreparable cost of the national exchequer and national interest too.

CITU opines, as such, there has been no urgency to fast track the privatisation of these six airports so far operational and financial efficiency is concerned. The Airport Authority of India successfully developed and modernized with huge investment by itself almost all the major airports of the country and has been operating this crucial infrastructure quite efficiently, both financial and operational. A private new entrant operator like Adani Group, which have no experience in airport management,  is now being handed over these airports only to benefit the new operators, and not for better airport operation in the least.

CITU vehemently condemns this hasty pre-election deal of handing over country’s six airports to favoured private operators  by the Govt which is nothing but a loot of national assets and infrastructure by private corporate. CITU calls upon the working class in general and the trade union movement in particular to oppose and resist the privatisation of these six airports through countrywide agitation and struggle.

( Tapan Sen )
General Secretary

Dear Sir,

I seek to draw your pointed attention to the media report that thousands of crore rupees of EPF funds invested in tradable bonds in IL&FS group have been put on risk of being lost as the group companies are facing near bankruptcy situation and presently in the midst of resolution procedures in National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under section 53 of the Insolvency Bankruptcy  Code Act (IBC).

As per the report, over 50 EPF funds of various companies, both in PSUs and number of private sector giants involving the post retirement savings and benefits under EPF of over 15 lakh employees have been put in such risk following their exposure to IL&FS. And since the tradable bonds of IL&FS in which the EPF funds of such huge dimension has been invested are being considered as unsecured debt of IL&FS and thereby losing priority vis-à-vis debts from the banks and financial institution in the resolution process under IBC, the risk of loss has become more imminent.

Kindly recall, the workers’ representatives in Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of EPFO have been consistently opposing the investment of EPF funds in any speculative tradable instruments, but the Govt of India bulldozed the unanimous opposition of the workers representatives and channelized a part of EPF funds for investment in speculative instruments. Now, you will see the results as the life-times savings in EPF of the concerned workers and employees of the affected establishments, it being pushed to the possibility of imminent loss of even the invested amount itself, not to speak of interests.

I strongly feel, the Govt must draw the appropriate lesson from such happening and review the decision imposed by the Finance Ministry to invest EPF fund up to 15% in speculative trade instruments of all kinds.  Govt must also take the responsibility of protecting the EPF savings of the employees/establishments which have already been pushed to risk of loss owing to their exposure with IL&FS  group along with interest since concerned workers should not be subjected to loss of their savings for no fault of theirs but for wrong unilateral decision of the Govt.  

I would also urge upon you to send us the details of investment exposure of EPF funds with IL&FS bonds both for the funds under CPFC and also  for the exempted establishments entity-wise  so that actual situation can be ascertained and dealt in a transparent manner in the interest of fairness, transparency and propriety. 

Awaiting expeditious response,

With regards
Yours sincerely,
( Tapan Sen )
General Secretary

To

Shri Santosh Gangware
Minister of Labour & Employment
Govt of India
Sharam Shakti Bhawan
Rafi Marg, New Delhi

The united platform of all the unions of employees and officers of BSNL has jointly decided to go in for three days countrywide strike in all BSNL establishments in the country against the blatant violation of the assurance given by the Government of India to sort out the long pending just demands of the employees and officers.

The joint action committee of the employees and officers unions has long been agitating for allotting 4G spectrum to BSNL to strengthen the operation and viability of this strategic public sector telecom company. The Government has been denying unjustly the 4g spectrum to BSNL while liberally allowing the private telecom company to the same facility thereby putting Government’s own company BSNL in extremely disadvantageous position vis-à-vis its competitors in the private sector companies  operating mostly with foreign collaboration. Such retrograde and discriminatory policy of the Govt towards BSNL is detrimental to national interests and BSNL employees are fighting to defend the interests of BSNL as well as the national interests.

It is for this discriminatory and anti-PSU policies of the Central Government  only to benefit the private operators, the BSNL has been put in severe financial difficulties and in a disadvantageous situation  . And on the plea of losses being incurred by BSNL owing to such discriminatory policy of the Government, the employees and officers are being denied their wage revision which has fallen long overdue since 1^st January 2017. The employees and officers of BSNL can no way be held responsible for incurring of loss by BSNL, since it is only because of the dedicated services of the BSNL collective, the company has been earning operating profit during last four/five years and huge burden of previous accumulated loss has put the balance sheet of BSNL in loss.  BSNL employees are demanding immediate resumption of meaningful wage negotiation and withdrawal of the embargo on wage revision of the employees and officers imposed by the Government through the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).

In the face of BSNL employees and officers’ Joint Action Committee preparing for indefinite strike action demanding allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL and wage revision for the entire workforce, the Ministry of Communication assured for positive consideration on their demands and strike action was deferred. But the BJP Government at the centre, as usual, has not honored the commitment and assurance given to the employees and officers and therefore the united platform of officers and employees of BSNL has been compelled to resume their united struggle in order to defend the BSNL as well as defend the legitimate rights of the employees and officers through three days strike action on 18-20 February 2019 to start with.

United Platform of Central Trade Unions, which met on 12^th February 2019 at New Delhi resolved to extend full support to the ongoing struggle of the BSNL employees and officers and demanded upon the Government to see reasons and concede to the just demands of the BSNL collective both on allotment of 4G and expeditious wage revision for all concerned.

The Central Trade Unions call upon the working people of the country and the trade union movement in particular to extend full support and solidarity to the three days strike in BSNL on 18-20 February 2019.

INTUC | AITUC | HMS | CITU | AIUTUC | TUCC | SEWA | AICCTU | LPF | UTUC

Dear Shri Suresh Prabhu ji,

It is shocking to note that the Govt of India has decided to privatise six  more airports of the country now functioning under Airport Authority of India through so called PPP route.  The airports proposed to be privatized at the moment are at Trivundrum, Guwahati, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangalore as per the reports received.

The CITU hereby records its vehement opposition to such a move of privatization of these six airports. You are aware, all these six airports have been modernized through huge investment from public exchequer under the supervision of Airport Authority of India and the quality of modernization of these six airports are no way inferior, if not superior, to that made in the airports, of Delhi, , Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore under private sector operators, thereby decisively proving competence and capability of the public sector Airports Authority of India.

And now after modernizing these six airports with public money under AAI, handing over them to private hands through PPP route tantamount to a undue bonanza to private players at the cost of public exchequer, besides being totally unjust and extremely unfair which may please be taken note of.

Such retrograde and unfair decision has created serious resentment among of mass of the employees of the Airport Authority of India which has been reflected in overwhelming majority of employees of AAI endorsing through strike ballot, the resolve of the Airports Authority Employees Union to go for industrial strike against such privatization move.

The union accordingly decided to go in for strike in AAI from 20^th February 2019 and the country’s trade union movement has extended full support to their struggle against privatization.

In view of the foregoing, I request you to please appreciate the gravity of the issue and in particular the impropriety and blatant unfairness of the Govt move for privatization of these six airports and appropriately intervene so that the Govt refrains from such retrograde move of privatization of airports in the interests of fairness and propriety and to avoid industrial unrest.

Soliciting expeditious corrective action from your end,

With regards,

Yours sincerely,
( Tapan Sen )
General Secretary

Shri  Suresh Prabhu
Minister of Civil Aviation
Govt of India
New Delhi

The extended meeting of the Office Bearers of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), held in New Delhi on 5-6 January, 2019 - Condemned the state government of Rajasthan for preventing free movement of the high level team of the central trade unions led by CITU General Secretary Tapan Sen, former member of the Parliament, and consisting of CITU national secretaries E. Kareem, MP (Rajya Sabha) and Shankar Datta, MP (Lok Sabha); other national and state leaders of CITU, AITUC and HMS with all India leader of Kisan Sabha Amra Ram, former MLA of Rajasthan; and physically preventing the team to meet the management of Daikin Air-Conditioning factory in the so called Japanese Zone in the RIICO area of Neemrana in the Alwar district of Rajasthan in the course of their fact finding on 4^th January, 2019 on the police barbarous lathi charge and teargas shelling on the peaceful assembly of the workers in front of Daikin factory gate during nationwide two days strike on 8-9 January, 2019, called jointly by the 10 central trade unions and almost all independent national federations; injuring several workers, filing false cases against the workers and arresting many of them. The police was assisted by the private army of the Daikin company.

 “Japanese Zone” and “South Korean Zone” set up, being operated at Neemrana, marked by signboards, by the former and present state governments of both BJP and Congress; is an illegal set up. This illegal set up is being operationalised by deployment of large contingent of police force always at the service of the managements of these MNCs. In these ‘Japanese Zone’ and ‘South Korean Zone’ Indian Citizens rights are being curbed, even in public place, by Rajasthan government’s police force.

Inside the establishments, the rule of law is being grossly violated by the managements with the help of police, administration and private army; none of the labour laws is implemented; no union is being allowed to be formed by the workers and for such attempt large number of them were and are being thrown out of jobs; permanent workers are being replaced by contract workers and by apprentices.

The meeting demands of Gehlot government to immediately dismantle the illegal set-up of ‘Japanese Zone’ and ‘Sourth Korean Zone’; remove the sign boards; withdraw the large contingent police force deployed at the service of the private companies in this area; and

Establish the rule of law by enforcement of all labour laws including the provisions of Indian Trade Unions Act and Industrial Disputes Act; Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act etc and Supreme Court’s judgements on Equal Wage and Minimum Wage;

Withdraw all false police cases against the workers; hold judicial enquiry on the police attack on the workers on 8^th January in front of Daikin factory.

The meeting greeted the valiant workers who faced victimisation and repression, but continued with their fight for trade union rights.

Issued by

( Tapan Sen )
General Secretary

The Interim Budget 2019, the last before the term of this BJP government ends, is a fraudulent attempt to cheat the people in a desperate bid to attract votes when defeat in the ensuing Parliament elections is staring at its face.

The interim budget vainly tries to give the misleading impression of providing so called  ‘sops’ to different sections of people. In fact, it does not waver a bit from the pro-corporate neoliberal agenda which has caused so much distress to the workers, peasants and the poor who have come out in their lakhs protesting these policies in the last few months compelling the government to talk about their issues. The acting finance minister laments that he could not reach the fiscal deficit target because of the money promised to the peasants. During the entire period of its five year tenure, the BJP government led by Modi feigned sleep, forgot the workers and peasants who create wealth for the country and was busy aggressively implementing the so called ‘reforms’ to serve their corporate master, domestic and foreign and fill their kitty looting the people and national resources.

The budget has nothing to improve the sagging economy through public investment, employment generation and improving the purchasing power of the people. Rather the arrogant announcement of continuing with the disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs and other “reforms” in the pipeline reflects the real intention to pave the way for destruction of self reliance and national economy as a whole.

It does not address the alarming levels of unemployment, which have reached forty five year high and which the BJP government has sought to suppress by not releasing the data and manufacturing data in its favour.  There is no concrete proposal except the rhetoric of ‘job seekers becoming job providers’, which those in government have been repeating ad nauseum without any visible action at the ground. The lack of any concrete plan becomes clear with the acting finance minister declaring the ‘employment generation is not confined merely to government services or factories’. Probably he wants to reiterate the advice of his colleagues in BJP to the youth to sell pakodas, set up pan shops or rear cows.

The interim budget has nothing to improve the wages of workers and incomes of peasants. It ignores the demand for loan waiver to the peasants. It does not ensure appropriate price for the farmers’ produce, nor the ensured procurement mechanism for all the crops.  It does not even mention minimum wage of Rs 18000 for workers. The allocation for MGNREGA has in fact been reduced compared to last year, even when the number of days of work has drastically come down and workers continue to be unpaid for several months. The unpaid wages for the work done under MNREGA crossed Rs 5150 crore in 2017-18 itself as per official data.  

The pension of Rs 3000 for unorganized workers is another exercise in deceit without there being any scheme. The allocation of a meagre Rs 500 crores itself is an indication of the lack of seriousness and honesty in covering the more than 40 crore unorganized workers in the country. And they will receive this pension only by contributing continuously up to the age of 60, which most of them cannot do. The real fraudulent intention behind announcement of this programme becomes clear when the cow-protection receives a bigger allocation of Rs 750 crore.

Increase in the exemption limit of earnings for income-tax payment had been long overdue and nothing to boast about.

Similarly the promise of Rs 6000 per year to the peasants having less than 2 hectares of land is a cruel joke on the peasants. Probably the minister wants the peasants who provide food for the country to satisfy their hungry stomachs with peanuts that the princely amount of Rs 15 a day can buy. There is no intention to address the agrarian crisis in a meaningful way.

As one of their colleagues in the union cabinet revealed recently, this time too, the BJP, leading the government obviously feels they have nothing to lose as they are not going to come to power anyway. People cannot be perpetually cheated by such dubious exercises.

Issued by:
Hemalata
President

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions heartily congratulates the defence sector civilian employees and their federations for the heroic countrywide three days strike on 23-25 January 2019 in all defence sector production, research and service establishments to defend country’s defence sector production and service network against the onslaught of outsourcing and privatization by the present BJP Govt at the centre.

All the defence employees’ federations including All India Defence Employees Federation have jointly given the strike call to protest against and resist the most dangerous and disastrous move of the government of India to gradually dismantle the defence production network consisting of 42 Ordnance factories, DRDO, numerous Military Engineering Service (MES) Centres, Army Station Workshops etc through outsourcing of more than 275 products, which are so long being produced by the Ordnance factories,  in favour of private corporates, both foreign and domestic. This move of the government of India has already rendered half of the Ordnance Factories becoming redundant, paving way for their closures or sell-out. Many defence procurement deals are also being hurriedly concluded or going to be concluded with foreign companies for supply of aircrafts, naval frigates etc giving rise to big scams and huge loss to the national exchequer.

Around 3.4 lakh civilian employees in the defence sector joined the strike in 42 Ordinance factories, DRDO, numerous Military Engineering Service (MES) Centres, Army Station Workshops etc making the strike almost total in all the three days thereby demonstrating their patriotic determination to resist the destructive policy of privatization and outsourcing being pursued by the Govt of India. The entire trade union movement of the country extended full support and solidarity to this strike action by holding rallies, demonstrations along with striking defence sector employees in different parts of the country.

CITU hails the defence sector employees and their federations for the said united countrywide action and urges that united struggle by the working class against such disastrous policy regime must continue till they are reversed and defeated in the interest of the entire Nation.

Issued by
(Tapan Sen)
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions extends full support and solidarity to the three days’ strike on 23-25 January 2019 in all defence-production units and service centres by all the three employees’ federations representing employees working in the defence production units and service centres and workshops spread throughout the country.

The defence employees’ federations have jointly given the strike call to protest against and resist the most dangerous and disastrous move of the government of India to gradually dismantle the defence production network consisting of 42 Ordnance factories, DRDO, numerous Military Engineering Service (MES) Centres, Army Station Workshops etc through outsourcing more than 275 products so long being produced by the Ordnance factories in favour of private corporates, both foreign and domestic. This move of the government of India has already rendered half of the Ordnance Factories redundant, paving way for their closures or sell-out. Many defence procurement deals are also being hurriedly concluded or going to be concluded with foreign companies for supply of aircrafts, naval frigates etc giving rise to big scams and huge loss to the national exchequer.

In fact the entire defence procurement policy of the government of India is totally oriented towards destroying indigenous manufacturing capacity in the field of defence production developed during last seven decades under Ordnance Factories, DRDO and Defence-PSU network despite the fact that more than 75% of the requirements of country’s defence forces are being met indigenously as admitted by the Defence Ministry itself.  This is nothing but a grave conspiracy against the national security to make it perpetually dependent on the foreign multinational companies and simultaneously paving the way for destruction of indigenous manufacturing capability.

At the call of all the central trade unions in the country and federations, the working class have already observed two days countrywide general strike on 8-9 January 2019. They strongly opposed the anti-national policy of defence sector privatisation of the government.

The 3 days’ strike by the defence employees against such disastrous move of the BJP led government of India is a struggle also to defend the national interests and national security in particular. This struggle must have the support and solidarity from the entire people.

CITU, while denouncing the brazen anti-national policies of the Narendra Modi Govt calls upon the working people of all affiliations and the trade union movement in general to extend whole hearted support to the three days united strike by the defence employees and organise solidarity mobilisations countrywide on the strike days along with striking defence sector employees.                                                                                                   

(Tapan Sen)
General Secretary

The country has witnessed a massive two days countrywide general strike on 8-9 January 2019 by the working people against the anti-people, anti-worker and anti-national policies of the BJP-led Government of India. The general strike was called by all in the united platform of 10 central trade unions and almost all independent national federations. The strike by the working class had drawn countrywide support and solidarity, with various forms of protest actions, of the people of other walks of lives, the peasantry and agricultural workers in particular.

The general strike and the countrywide peoples’ massive response to it, demonstrated people’s loud disapproval to BJP government’s policy regime of loot, plunder and onslaught on the lives and livelihood of the toiling people at large; on the self-reliance and the national economy as a whole. It also reflected their anger against the poisonous, divisive and repressive machinations on the entire society by the ruling polity.

Culmination of Series of Agitations

The two days countrywide general strike, by the broadest ever united platform of the trade unions of the country and supported by the organizations of all sections of toiling people in the country, marks the convergence and culmination of last three and half years long consistent and continuous agitations and protest actions by the working class and toiling people at large against the same anti-people and anti-national policies of the Narendra Modi government at the centre. There had been agitations including strikes in various sectors at state and national levels. There were also struggles and strikes on common demands led by the central trade unions, jointly and separately.

This period has witnessed two countrywide general strikes, on 2 September in 2015 and in 2016, joined by over 15 crores workers, both from organized and unorganized sector. There had also been numerous agitations and strike actions in various sectors viz. banks, insurance, telecom, coal, steel, road transport, engineering, electricity, various PSUs, defence-production, central and state government employees; in number of multinational companies and in private sector industries. During this period, the workers in various central government schemes particularly by Anganwadi employees, ASHA and mid-day-meal workers etc had been on consistent struggles, both at national and state levels, including indefinite strike action in some states. Construction workers also resorted to number of agitations and also a massive strike at national level. Also notable had been the three days long Mahapadav before the Parliament in November 2017 with participation of at least 2.8 lakh workers in three days.

Number of such strikes, mostly in states, was for indefinite periods compelling the concerned state governments or authority to retreat and concede to the demands of the workers. Due to strike actions, the Government could not yet privatise any of the 10 PSUs including steel plants, BEML, Bridge and Roof, CEL and others which it had planned in 2014 itself.

The magnificent country wide general strike on 8-9 January 2019 reflected the tide of people’s anger against the anti worker, anti people and anti national neoliberal policies pursued by the BJP led government at the centre. It surpassed, in its sweep and depth, even the earlier two massive general strikes, on 2^nd September 2015 and 2016 held during this Modi government’ rThe participation of workers in the general strike across sectors and the massive support and solidarity it received from all cross sections of people across the country indicate the growing resentment of people against the government. The national organisations of the peasants and agricultural workers, dalits, adivasis etc extended active support and called for a ‘grameen bandh’ bringing rural India to a standstill. The retired employees’ organisations also have actively campaigned for and supported the strike.            

Full reports of the strike have not been received. Below is the information as up to the afternoon of 9^th January.

The strike in Assam was unprecedented. All the tea gardens were closed. Refineries were closed. Workers, both permanent and contract workers picketed and demonstrated outside several refineries. Workers along with fraternal mass organisations of peasants, agricultural workers, students, women etc held rail roko all over the state. Police arrested hundreds of activists including Tapan Sharma, general secretary of the state committee of CITU.

The strike received massive response from the working class in Bihar. Road transport was totally paralysed. Scheme workers, construction workers, beedi workers participated in the strike and held huge rallies in Samastipur, Khagaria, Darbhanga, Jamui, Begusarai and other districts. Roads were blocked in Samastipur, Katihar etc. The state bandh called by the Left parties in support of the strike, on the issues of peasants and agricultural workers and against the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, on 9^th January was total.

The industrial workers and employees in NCR Delhi joined the strike in a big way. Only 5 workers joined duty in the public sector CEL. The industrial areas of Okhla 3 phases, Naraina, Mayapuri, Mongolpuri 2 phases, Udyognagar, Nangloi, Wazirpur, GT Karnal Road, Badlhi, Rajasthanpuri, Bhorgarh etc, were totally closed. Workers struck work and marched in processions which culminated in rallies in different industrial areas. Around 2000 to 3000 workers participated in each rally. Teachers and students of Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University joined the strike en masse. Universities were closed.

Gujarat, home state of Prime Minister Modi, witnessed such a joint strike of workers for the first time in many decades. The trade unions took up extensive joint campaign. Engineering workers in Baroda, Surat, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh, Ahmedabad, most of them not organised under any trade union joined the strike in large numbers. Despite the threats of victimisation from the BJP government in the state, anganwadi employees and ASHAs joined the strike and held massive demonstrations in most of the districts in the state. For the first time midday meal workers joined the strike. BMS campaigned extensively against the strike calling it a ‘political strike’. Despite this, anganwadi employees affiliated to the BMS union in 3 ICDS projects in the state joined the strike and also the demonstrations held on the occasion. Big rallies were held in 8 cities – Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Junagarh, Baroda, Anand and Palanpur. Around 3000 to 8000 workers participated in each.

The modern industrial area of Gurgaon in Haryana witnessed good response of the workers to the strike. Hero Honda declared 3 days’ holiday. Except Maruti, most of the big industries including Honda remained closed. Workers in all the smaller industries in the area struck work and joined rallies. A huge joint rally of industrial workers was held on 8^th January. Workers in govt sector, roadways and unorganised sector like brick-kiln, forest, village chowkidar, construction etc joined the strike in a big way.

Strike in Rajasthan in different industries, both in organised and unorganised sector has been quite noticeable despite severe police repression on the striking workers in the MNC dominated industrial area in Neemrana. There have been numerous demonstrations and procession by the striking workers along with others throughout the state.

The scheme workers, MGNREGA workers, hydel project workers as well as industrial workers in Himachal Pradesh participated in the strike. Huge rallies with mostly women workers were held in several district headquarters.

Despite the difficult political situation in the state, unorganised sector workers and scheme workers participated in the strike in thousands in Jammu and Kashmir. Interstate bus services were off the road. A procession with the participation of scheme workers, railway contract workers, construction workers, coal mine workers, hydro project workers, vendors, middle class employees etc was held in Jammu. Protest demonstrations were held in almost all the districts in the Kashmir valley.

The industrial areas of Bokaro, Ranchi, Adityapur, Gamharia  in Jarkhand were almost closed due to the strike. Pharmaceutical industry was closed. Beedi workers and stone quarry workers in Pakur, Sahebganj and Chatra and Bauxite workers in Lohardaga were in total strike as were the workers in the copper mines and industry.

Over 30 lakh workers, including industrial workers, public sector, government, bank, insurance, BSNL etc employees, scheme workers and unorganised sector workers, participated in the strike in Karnataka. There was total strike in public road transport; autos were off the road in Bengaluru. All the permanent workers in multinational corporations Toyota Kirloskar, Volvo buses and trucks, Coca Cola etc and also in private sector major industries participated in the strike. Strike was total in the industrial areas of Bengaluru, Mysuru etc.

Despite the large scale disturbances sought to be created by the BJP against entry of women of all ages to the temple in Sabarimala, joint campaign was extensively conducted all over Kerala with an effort to reach every nook and corner of the state. Strike was total. Workers and members of other mass organisations picketed trains at 32 points. Train traffic was disrupted and several trains had to be cancelled. Trivandrum, Cochin and Kozhikode airport ground handling staff were on strike causing disruption of flights. Because of the campaign, people extended support to the strike. There were very few passengers in the buses and trains. Thousands of workers have gathered at the 483 strike centres which have been opened across the state. These centres were active for entire 48 hours duration of strike throughout day and night.

In addition to the total participation of anganwadi employees, ASHAs and midday meal workers in the strike in Madhya Pradesh, thousands of workers in private industries, particularly cement industry participate in the strike. Strike was total in all the cement units where CITU had affiliated unions. In addition it was near total in Hitech and 75% in Heavy Engineering Workers. Workers in the industrial clusters in Indore, Neemuch etc and the contract workers in NFIL joined the strike. Though most of the road transport workers are not organised under any trade union, the extensive campaign by the CITU state committee resulted in massive participation of road transport workers with transport being seriously affected in 22 districts in the state, where no passenger buses could run. In Bhopal, 70% of the buses could not operate and 80% of city buses were stopped in depots. Even under government pressure, only 15% - 20% buses were operated. Strike in the coal mines in the state was also massive.

In Chhattisgarh, Balco witnessed 95% strike, Hirry and Nandini Mines 90% and coal mines, more than 85% workers joined the strikeAnganwadi workers and mid-day-meal workers’ strike was to the tune of 60%, Participation of beedi workers, rice-mill workers, loading-unloading workers in the Mandis was above 60%. In the central govt offices, banks and insurances, strike was above 90%. In Bhilai steel Plant, strike was partial.

With the total participation of the transport workers in BEST (Bombay Electricity Supply and Transport) in the strike, bus services were off the road in Mumbai. There was total strike by workers in multinational companies like BOSCH, CEAT, Crompton, Samsonite etc. Thousands of permanent and contract workers of Reliance Industries also joined the strike. The industrial areas in Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Icchalkaranji were seriously affected due to the strike. Highways were blocked in many places. A massive rally planned jointly in Solapur could not be held as police denied permission because of Prime Minister’s visit to the city on that day.

Manipur bore a deserted look due to the massive strike. Vehicular traffic was totally stopped; educational institutions shut down and examinations were postponed. All the major markets were closed. Road blocks and demonstrations were held in many places.

There was a bandh like situation in Odisha. Road transport was totally off. Strike was 80% in cement and engineering industries. The strike in the public sector units like NALCO, Port and Dock and Indian Oil was over 80%. In the mining sector, strike is almost total.  Scheme workers totally participated in the strike. Unorganised sector workers held rasta roko and rail roko in several places. All political parties including the ruling BJD, except BJP supported the strike.

Strike was total among the PUNBUS employees and electricity employees in Punjab and Chandigarh. Workers in the industrial areas of Ludhiana including Hero cycles, the cement factories in Bathinda, industries in Amritsar went on strike. Contract employees in private hospitals were on strike throughout the state. Scheme workers joined the strike en masse and participated in thousands in the demonstrations, rallies and rasta roko across the state.

Strike in Tamil Nadu was immense. Pondicherry witnessed a total bandh like situation with all sectors being paralysed. Over 85% of the public sector Salem steel plant employees, 70% of the BHEL employees were on strike. Workers in Neyveli Lignite, Tuticorin port and Salem Chemplast also joined the strike. The textile industry including the cooperative spinning mills, power looms, NTC mills were affected. 50% of the workers in the engineering industry were on strike. Workers in Madras Export Processing Zone also went on strike. Manufacturing units in north and south Chennai were closed. Loading and unloading were stopped. Workers in several railway goods sheds were on strike. Majority of the total markets in the state witnessed total strike. 80% electricity employees were on strike. Bill collection was closed in 90% centres. There was total strike in Thiruvallur thermal plant. 85% autos were off the road. Tea, rubber and coffee plantation workers including those in big estates went on strike. Street vendors also joined. Many other industries including the famous knitwear industry in Tiruppur, chemical industry, Salt Corporation, Ashok Leyland, tanneries, Tasmac, sugar, etc witnessed massive strike. Scheme workers joined. Beedi factories in 67 villages and towns were closed. Crackers and construction workers were on strike. 80% of autos were off the road.

Over 21 lakh workers and employees in Telangana participated in the strike. Strike was total in the automobile manufacturing units and breweries and distilleries and 80% in the engineering units in the industrial areas in Hyderabad and surrounding districts. 90% of the contract workers in NTPC joined the strike. Over 65% scheme workers joined the strike despite the threats and intimidation by the TRS government and its administration.

In Agartala in Tripura, despite the use of force, BJP government could manage to get only 30% of the shops opened and around 30% of buses to operate. Almost same has been the situation in many other districts of the state.  Teachers attended schools but there were no students.

The main participants in the strike in Uttarakhand were the anganwadi employees and midday meal workers in addition to the government employees. In some places hotel workers, contract and outsourcing workers, work charged employees also participated. However, rallies were held in all the districts.

East India Pharmaceuticals, Britannia and other big industries in Kolkata were closed due to the strike in West Bengal. There was total strike in the jute mills with all except one being closed as well as in the engineering industry despite the terror by the Trinamool goons. There was no loading in trucks. Passenger and goods transport by in the state were practically out off roads. There was total strike in the industrial areas in 24 Paraganas, Hooghly, and Howrah. In tea garden workers in Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Dinajpur were on strike and participated in Rasta roko demonstrations.  There was good strike in coal and steel in the state. 60% of the permanent workers in Calcutta port were on strike. 70% of street vendors in Kolkata joined the strike. Universities and colleges remained closed with the lecturers and students joining the strike. Despite attack unleashed by Police and Trinamool Congress goons on the striking workers in the state, it was resisted by the workers along with democratic people from all walks of lives throughout the state heroically.    Police arrested hundreds of activists and leaders including Anadi Sahu, general secretary of the CITU state committee.

Participation of workers in the major industries in this strike all over the country was quite high compared to the earlier strikes.

The overall participation of strike in the coal industry was around 70%- 75%. Production and dispatch almost collapsed. Both permanent and contract workers joined the strike in almost all the big projects including the outsourced projects.

Thirty lakh electricity workers, employees and engineers in the power sector joined the strike across the country at the call of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers.

The strike in the oil sector was unprecedented, particularly in Assam. Employees in various refineries in Assam joined the strike and picketed offices. Oil workers of 3 out of the 4 unions in Kochi refinery joined the strike despite the management getting a court order banning the strike. Contract workers participated along with the permanent employees. Overall, strike in the petroleum sector has been substantive in the eastern, north-eastern and southern India while it was partial in western and northern part.

There was good strike in the steel industry with near total strike in Vizag steel, Salem steel and Bhadravati. In Rourkela steel permanent workers joined the strike and picketed the plant and strike was around 50% on the whole. Contract workers joined the strike en masse.  The strike in other steel plants viz., Bokaro, Bhilai and Durgapur was partial.

Strike was partial in the ports as some of the major unions did not join the strike in some of the major ports.  But cargo handling was affected in Paradip, Tuticorin, Kolkata, Haldia, Visakhapatnam and Cochin ports.

Road transport was highly affected creating a bandh like situation in many states in the country. An estimated 3.5 crore transport workers and small owners participated in the strike. The strike in the road transport sector was total with the participation of workers in public and private passenger and goods transport including autos in Kerala, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Strike was over 80% in West Bengal. Strike had serious impact in Punjab, several districts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand.

Construction workers participated in the strike in a big way as well as in the demonstrations in the entire country. Plantation workers, tea, coffee, rubber, joined the strike en masse in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and in large numbers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

In addition to the industrial workers, the strike saw massive participation of employees in the service sectors also.

Women scheme workers in all states including where the trade union movement was weak, participated not only in the strike but in the demonstrations all over the country. They lent visibility to the strike even in places where no other trade union existed.

Strike among insurance employees was near total all over the country. Lakhs of bank employees including the officers in the Regional Rural Banks, Cooperative Banks, Reserve Bank and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) participated in the strike at the call of All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees’ Federation of India (BEFI).

Around 13 lakh central government employees joined the strike across the country as per the call given by the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers. The strike was total in the postal and income tax departments. In addition employees of Audit and Accounts, Civil Accounts, Atomic Energy, Geological Survey of India, Customs and Central Excise, Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India, Central Ground Water Board, Postal Accounts, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Printing and Stationery, Indian Bureau of Mines, AGMARK, Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Medical Stores Depots, Film Division of India, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Central Food Processing Laboratory, Census Department, National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), Defence Accounts, Rehabilitation Department, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Institute of Physics, LNCPE, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences, Canteen Employees, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Passport Department, and various other autonomous and scientific research institutes participated in the two days’ strike. The strike among central government employees was total in Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Assam and other North Eastern states including Tripura. In all other states 60%-80% employees participated in the strike.

State government employees in many states joined the strike in a big way. While the strike was 90% in Kerala, around 80% of state government employees in Haryana and several other states joined the strike. In Uttar Pradesh over 60% employees were on strike while it was 40% in Himachal Pradesh.

Strike in BSNL was total in Kerala, West Bengal and the north eastern states and partial in other states.

In many states retired employees, including EPS 95 pensioners extended solidarity and support to the strike by joining the demonstrations and rallies.

Huge demonstrations and rallies were held in all the states in the industrial centres and district headquarters with the participation of thousands of workers in each. Industrial workers, middle class employees, scheme workers and unorganised workers participated in these in large numbers. Thousands of workers were arrested across the country including in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal etc.

Particularly significant in the strike was the enormous solidarity and support extended by the various sections of people – the peasants, agricultural workers, women, youth and students etc. In addition, the organisations of tribals, dalits etc also supported the strike. Thousands of members of these organisations and their national and state leaders directly participated in the demonstrations, rallies, rasta roko and rail roko all over the country.

True to its commitment to the divisive ideology as a member of the sangh parivar, and ever loyal to its fraternal political wing the BJP, the BMS tried to confuse and divide the workers nursing illusions to weaken the strike. The BMS, which was involved in preparing the joint charter of demands of the central trade unions when it was part of the joint trade union movement, now finds the demands to be ‘political’. It had no problem in participating in struggles including strikes when the Congress led UPA government was in power. But, with the BJP in power, even when the government is fast carrying forward the anti worker amendment to the labour laws to trample labour rights underfoot, totally ignoring the suggestions of the central trade unions, neglecting the tripartite bodies, BMS strangely finds the government to be ‘positive’ to workers’ demands. It gathered a few breakaway groups of central trade unions and created a platform, opposed the strike and actively campaigned against the strike. But the working class of the country totally rejected its hypocritical manoeuvres. These attempts in fact boomeranged as the magnificent two days’ strike clearly showed the participation of their own ranks in the strike in several states.

What is required now is to take the struggle against the neoliberal policies forward and heighten and intensify it by strengthening the unity of the entire working class and the unity of the working class with the all the other sections of toiling masses. K Hemalata