Tapan Sen

The 17th conference of CITU will be held in Bengaluru from 18 to 22 January, 2023. The conference is taking place bearing the devastating memory of an intervening period torn with unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, and the utterly inhuman response by the Government at the Centre in the form of severe restrictions accompanied by aggressive organized onslaught on the lives, livelihood and basic democratic rights of the people. On the other hand, there had been surge of determined resistances to all those onslaughts, and, in many cases these actions were spontaneous.
The anti-people legislative and administrative actions, pushed through by the Government during the lockdown with associated restrictions under Disaster Management Act viz - commercial mining in coal; unregulated liberalization of FDI and FII in all sectors including defense production; imposition of retrograde Farm Laws and Electricity Bills; suspension of labour laws for three years in many of the BJP ruled states through Ordnance followed by enactment of Labour Codes; and, thereafter, the Essential Defence Service Act; were no way even distantly connected with pandemic management for saving the peoples’ lives and health.

Undoubtedly these were to illegitimately serve the corporate masters for maximizing profit even in the midst of downslide in production and business; on the other hand the most emergency task of expansion-activisation of public health-service network on an emergency basis and compelling the private health business to work within the regulation of public health requirement were totally and brutally neglected only to benefit the private corporate-heath-business. The inhuman ugly face of neoliberal order and their political agents in governance were never so glaringly demonstrated.

Amidst such extreme adversities imposed by the neoliberal order, CITU, in pursuit of its aims and objectives has strived itself to further its intervention on the line of defiance and resistance in an altogether untraveled path and was first to call for protest initiative from homes within a month of promulgation of lockdown on 21 April 2020 in defense of the interest of working class and the people. The call of Protest from Home with a slogan ‘Bhasan Nehi, Ration Chahiye’, ‘Enough of Speech – Food & Wages are what we need’; and then the call for Step Out - Step Up, towards bigger organized combat against the ruling class barbarism, towards bigger to visible mobilizations of defiance; these could successfully draw almost entire trade union movement in the united combative struggle leading to General Strikes on November 26, 2020 in the midst of lockdown, besides numerous sectoral actions both in organized and unorganized sectors.

The day of the General Strike had also coincided with the beginning of more than year long historic Farmers’ struggle in the form of massive blockading of various entry borders of National Capital, New Delhi, demanding repeal of Farm Laws and Electricity Amendment Bill and other demands which were also responded to by the working class through countrywide solidarity actions with continuity.

Lakhs of migrant workers’ silent revolt throughout the country in the form of marches along with families including children from one corner of the country to the other, braving police atrocities on the way, is another manifestation of the desperation as well as determination of the people not to accept everything lying down. Relief to the distressed unorganized and migrant workers across the nation by the organized trade union movement, especially the CITU committees, at different levels going beyond their usual capacities had been another precious experience during the intervening period.

The fragility of the neoliberal capitalist world order stood exposed with its incapability as well as its lack of intention to scientifically handle the covid-19 pandemic. In the midst of the aggravating systemic crisis, the vulgar increase of profits and accumulation of wealth by few capitalists pushing the people towards further destitution, distress and hunger has heightened the income inequality to an extreme obscene level. It is telling upon severely the already depressing consumption expenditure, contributing further to the more than decade long crisis and the recessionary situation of the entire capitalist order.

The period since our 16th Conference witnessed the aggressive pursuit of an extreme right-wing authoritarian communal regime along with the economic crisis aggravating in hectic pace. During this period, India and Asia-pacific have emerged as the focal centre of the imperialist-attempts along with shameless and desperate bonhomie of Modi Government with US imperialism. Aggressive pursuit of RSS’ original fascistic doctrine by this Government as an integral part and parcel of accentuating global ultra-right wing authoritarian/fascistic forces and its obvious compulsion to ascend to authoritarianism are deepening the crisis further.
Yet there had been no respite in nasty exercise of communal-divisive machinations by the ruling dispensation with the active support of corporate lobby and the media controlled by it. This also got reflected in increasing attacks on dalits, minorities, women and the downtrodden in the society, being aided and abated by almost all the wings of state-power. A large section of working people also got influenced by such exercise.

Dismantling of the existing labour laws through Labour Codes to impose conditions of virtual slavery on the working class and the desperate exercise of the Modi Government on Farm Laws including anti-people amendment of Essential Commodities Act targeting the decimation of peasants agriculture to pave the way for corporate control are integral parts of the ruling class’ authoritarian aggression on democracy and in governance; the Government could be compelled to repeal the Farm Laws by historic Farmers’ struggle; but efforts are being made to push them through backdoor both at Central and State levels.
The policies’ trend, which were identified in the 16th conference, are seen to be pursued vigorously by the Modi led BJP Govt after 2nd time coming to its office. The loot of people’s national assets, aggressive pursuit of privatization of public sector enterprises (recent is fertilizer) and financial institutions, imposition of National Education Policy, National Monetisation Pipeline, setting up of National Land Monetisation Corporation -- all are part of the destructive anti-people anti-national fascistic project to serve the interests of the corporate class, both domestic and foreign. Such a situation brings forth the stupendous challenges before the working class movement to widen and strengthen class unity and united class struggles against the anti-people misrule combating that strategy of corporate-communal nexus in governance.

In this background, the conference has to evaluate and deepen our understanding of the overall situation including the reflections of the systemic crisis of neoliberal order, both globally and nationally, on all aspects on the economy, on the lives, livelihood and rights of the people and its serious ramifications in politics and the society, the vicious onslaught on democracy and democratic rights of the people and aggressive authoritarianism in the governance of economy, political system and also governance of the society. This was also accompanied by aggressive communal divisive machinations on the society as an integral instrument of the ruling class in their project of pro-corporate governance. We have to review our role, work, movement and organization as well as steps to be undertaken to heighten and intensify the united struggles on the premise of such comprehensive understandings.

The 17th Conference of CITU, preceded by series of district, state and industry/federation level conferences have to take up that task of sharpening the understanding and heightening the class struggle with all seriousness.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) condemns the heinous effort by the communal and divisive forces to create division and disharmony among the working class by creating panic among migrant workers who are working in Tamil Nadu by propagating fake news/videos.

In the last few days, a video of migrant workers from Bihar allegedly getting severely beaten up in Tamil Nadu was widely circulated. This has created anxiety and concern among people of Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, and other source states of migrant workers. It has also created panic among the migrant workers, especially those from North India working in Tamil Nadu. This has apparently been circulated by the BJP led forces with its ulterior motive to get political mileage out of it.

The Tamil Nadu Government and its Police Department swiftly acted and found that there is no such incident happened and these are all fake videos and has filed cases against those who have created such panic by raking up this issue with some old videos originated from out of Tamil Nadu with the purpose of creating hatred and enmity among the common people in general and working people in particular. Those include the BJP Tamil Nadu state President and one its UP spokesman. CITU strongly condemns this heinous act and demands exemplary punishment to the guilty.

It is to be noted that it is the BJP which betrayed the migrant workers by repealing the Inter-State Migrant Workers Act, 1979 in the process of labour law codification and done away with all protections and legal rights to the migrant workers that too during the peak of their sufferings due to the most stringent lockdown. CITU demands strict implementation of the Act throughout the country by all state governments.

CITU Tamil Nadu State Committee has directed its activists to approach the migrant workers throughout the state and assess if there is any kind of discrimination and harassment faced by them. Tamil Nadu CITU has assured that it will assure peace and harmony at workplaces and in society at any cost.

CITU calls upon the working class of the country to remain vigilant and alert about such conspiratorial move by communal-divisive forces to disrupt harmony among the working people with the ulterior motive to divide the unity of the working people which will finally benefit the employers’ class.  It calls upon the working class to intensity its fight for the rights of the workers, including the migrant worker's rights.

CITU calls upon the people in general and workers in particular to expose the machinations of these divisive forces and maintain utmost vigilant against such mischievous misdeeds.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

CITU strongly condemns post poll Brutal attacks and violence on the Opposition leaders, activists & offices including on trade union offices and activities by the BJP goons at Tripura. It urges Govt intervention to stop the violence, restore normalcy, and ensure protection and democratic rights to all.

Immediately following the announcement of assembly election results in Tripura, the organized violence on the people, particularly the opposition parties and their supporters started by the ruling party hoodlums and it is still continuing. More than 1000 incidents of attacks, violence, arson and loot, extortion  on the  people, opposition offices, the leaders and cadres is reported throughout the state till yesterday.  The Trade Union offices, leaders, cadres and supporters are also being attacked by the BJP hoodlums. The Trade union offices built upon by the hard earned money of the workers are being attacked and burnt down in many places in Tripura including in Agartala.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) urges the Govt to pay its mandated constitutional role, immediately intervene and put a stop to this ongoing violence on the people by the hoodlums of the ruling party in the state, with the entire state administration remaining a mute indulgent spectator. CITU demands upon the Govt to ensure democratic rights and protection of the people restoring normalcy immediately.

The narrow thin margin and the lesser percentage of votes secured by BJP and its allies in its re-election to the State Assembly has made BJP leaders, cadres and its supporters furious to unleash these such barbarous attacks in desperation. The incidents of violence and attacks includes burning down/ransacking many houses of the Left activists, trade union leaders and other fronts including offices, physical attacks with lethal weapons on the activists of the democratic movement and their supporters among the common people, including the trade unions grievously injuring many and also throwing out thousands of their residences after looting everything. The continuing violence on the people throughout the state is also affecting normal pursuit of livelihood by several thousands of common people at large.   The unabated violent attacks exhibit the indulgence and support of the ruling BJP and the Govt Establishment which is highly deplorable one. The CITU urges the Govt to discharge its Constitutional duties of maintenance of the Law and Order ensuring the democratic rights and protection of all the citizens, in particular that of the supporters of opposition parties.

CITU appeals to its members and unions throughout the country to rise unitedly to organize protest against such ongoing barbarous attacks on the people let lose by the ruling party hoodlums with a fascistic intent.  

The All India Coordination Committee of Domestic Workers (AICCDW) calls upon the police to take the strictest of action against the employer couple who continuously subjected their young domestic worker to inhuman torture and abuse at their residence in Gurgaon. It also calls upon the Labour Department to investigate and take action against the agency through whom the worker was placed in this household. There are reports that the girl was a minor; if so, both the employers and the placement agency should be prosecuted under the Child Labour Protection and Regulation Act that bans all children below the age of 14 years form working in any sector.

Despite the fact that several cases of extreme abuse of domestic workers in the NCR region have come to light in recent times, neither the Labour Department nor the police appear to be taking steps to ensure that they will not be repeated. It is shocking that elite employers who work in reputed establishments and earn handsome salaries treat their workers with such contempt and cannot respect their dignity as human beings. What is even more shocking is the huge silence of the Resident Welfare Associations who are so quick to regulate domestic workers but turn a blind eye when their members flout all norms of basic human decency. All RWAs should be made to give undertakings that they do not employ child labour in their premises.

It also points to the urgent need for a comprehensive law that will regulate the working conditions of domestic workers and protect them from such abuse and discrimination that they face on a regular basis, over which Central and State governments are dragging their feet for more than two decades. 

The All India Coordination Committee of Domestic Workers (CITU) calls upon the Gurgaon police to ensure prosecution of the employers and the agency. The worker should receive adequate medical treatment and compensation, and if a minor, be reunited with her family. It calls upon all domestic workers to be vigilant and report such cases of abuse to the Union and the local police immediately.

Issued By

Sd/-                                         Sd/-                                         Sd/-

Kiran Moghe                            A. R. Sindhu                            Surekha

Convener                                 Secretary, CITU                       President,                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                 CITU Haryana

9422317212                           9968312406                           9467222260

The National Convention of Workers held today on 30th January 2023 on the martyrdom day of Rashtrapita Mahatma Gandhi at Constitution Club Annexe, New Delhi began by paying rich tributes to Gandhi ji for his sacrifice for the unity and harmony of the people of different religious beliefs, languages, and cultures.

The convention was presided by ten member presidium. They included Amit Yadav from INTUC, Binoy Viswam from AITUC, Raja Shridhar from HMS, Dr K Hemlata from CITU, R Parashar from AIUTUC, G R Shivshankar from TUCC, Lata ben from SEWA, K K Bora from AICCTU, Rashid Khan from LPF, Shatrujit Singh from UTUC. The leaders of almost all Sectoral National Federations were present in the convention. The participants were from almost all sectors of economy informal/unorganised, formal/organised, and self employed/own account Workers etc.

The declaration in English and Hindi was well received by the delegates to keep up the pace of activities (the declaration attached in Hindi and English). Beginning with the organisation of state/district/Sectoral levels conventions for adoption of programmes to be carried in states, to take out statewide jathas culminating into statewide mahapadav on 9th August, the Quit India day.

The leaders who addressed included Ashok Kumar Singh Vice President INTUC, Amarjeet Kaur General Secretary AITUC, Harbhajan Singh General Secretary HMS, Tapan Sen General Secretary, CITU, Rajinder Singh Working Committee member of AIUTUC, K Indu Prakash Menon President of TUCC, Sonia George National Secretary SEWA, Rajiv Dimri General Secretary of AICCTU, Shanmugam General Secretary LPF, and Ashok Ghosh General Secretary UTUC. 

They were emphatic in their resolve to fight back labour codes, policies of privatisation of PSUs, sale of national resources and assets to the Indian and foreign corporates, subjugation of Indian economy to international finance capital in detriment to Indian self reliance, sovereignty and independence. They exposed the efforts of Indian government to defend crony Capitalists and demanded for probe into the allegations and exposures of Adani companies made by Hindenburg research report. Quoting the latest Oxfam report, they explained about the growing disparity and inequity making the life miserable for common masses.   

The govt. which failed on all fronts to deliver on the promises is now allowing the forces of communal hatred and polarization under various pretext to divert the United agitations of workers, farmers and other sections of the society from their pressing issues of livelihood and survival. It is undermining the secular democratic ethos of our society by using all democratic institutions to stifle the voice of opposition to the government policies. 

The convention resolved that the workers under their unions would fight to safeguard the national unity and harmonious living and with all its might would move to defeat these policies in the National interest. 

The convention adopted the Declaration unanimously and resolved to resort to nationwide strike action in the end of the year.

      INTUC                     AITUC                    HMS                     CITU                       AIUTUC

        TUCC                SEWA                      AICCTU                     LPF                    UTUC

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Congratulates the Striking Electricity Workers and Engineers of Maharashtra for their incredible victory. It was a face to face combat between workers and corportate. Resisting and Defying the pro-corporate Government’s atrocious and destructive moves including the vindictive invocation of draconian MESM Act 2017, the Strikers have emerged victorious. Under immense pressure from all corners, the Deputy CM & Energy Minister of Maharashtra, Sri Devendra Fadnavis has publicly promised to roll-back the proposed granting of parallel license to Adani Group.

More than 86,000 workers and employees of Maharashtra State Public Electricity Companies were in historic 72 hours Strike from 4th January 2023 mid-night. The Maharashtra electricity sector practically was paralyzed by the shock of Strike. And the Govt. had to bow down.

This magnificent victory of the Striking Maharashtra electricity workers has proved that determined valiant struggle of the electricity like Strategic sector workers could put a bridle to these anti-people actions of the current authoritarian Modi-BJP regime.

Strikingly in yesterday’s press meet, the Deputy CM, Maharashtra has proposed for a separate electricity distribution company for agricultural consumers. CITU apprehend that it will heavily affect the cross-subsidy mechanism and will pave a path for the Govt. to do away with agricultural electricity subsidy. It is a clandestine back-door project to squeeze the peasantry. CITU strongly opposes this.

Despite this massive victory, CITU urges upon the struggling workers to keep a strong vigil over the latest development on Govt’s next move.  CITU calls upon the people of the Nation and all its affiliates in particular to uphold and internalize the glorious experience of Maharashtra movement and build massive struggle against the draconian Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 - Roll back the Bill with immediate effect.

Issued By
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

Petroleum & Gas Workers’ Federation of India (PGWFI), the largest and broadest Federation of Petroleum Sector workers of the Nation, CONGRATUALTES the Striking Electricity Workers and Engineers of Maharashtra State. More than 86,000 workers and employees including 42,000 contractual strength of Maharashtra State Public Electricity Companies are in historic 72 hours Strike from 4th January 2023 mid-night. This Strike action is against the heinous plot of introducing Adani Group in distribution service of Navi Mumbai’s Bhandup Circle.

This strong Strike action is the culmination of 2 months long-ongoing united protest-struggle of Maharashtra electricity employees. Maharashtra government didn’t pay any heed to the objection of the agitating workers and the people. Certainly, there was no option left except going for Strike to save Maharashtra Public Electricity from the crawls of Adani! The Maharashtra State Administration is the sole responsible for any disturbance to Public service causing from this Strike action – the onus of people’s suffering is undoubtedly upon them.

Instead of addressing the righteous concern of the workers and the people, the Maharashtra government has invoked MESM Act 2017 to attack the Strikers and break the Strike. PGWFI and its entire constituents throughout the Nation stand strong beside the Striking workers of Maharashtra and condemn this vindictive act of Maharashtra government.

PGWFI believes the cause of Strike with conviction as Petroleum & Gas sector is under similar grievous attack of privatisation from the current Central government, through NMP and many other disastrous routes. PGWFI looks forward united movement of integral Energy Sector - Petroleum-Electricity-Coal workers to Resist this blatant act of privatization and hand over of public assets to private conies. PGWFI demands immediate resolution of the issue in favour of the Striking workers.

Issued By

Nogen Chutia                                                                                                 Pradeep Mayekar

General Secretary                                                                                                President

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) pays respectful homage to Comrade Janaki Ballabh, a long term associate of CITU centre who played vital role in adding dimension to the International Department of CITU. Comrade Vallabh was an eminent Sinologist and efficient in Chinese translation literature who passed away on 30 December 2022. He died due to age related ailments in China where he has been staying with his sons since a decade. He was 94. Remarkably he was elected to the Working Committee of CITU.

Born in 1928 in the village of Dalakot in Almora district in Uttarakhand, comrade Ballabh moved to China in 1956, after achieving his masters degree. He joined the Foreign Languages Press in Beijing, translating a range of Chinese works into Hindi.  Some of his prominent works include   'Selected Works' of Mao Zedong, Chinese classic novel 'Journey to the West', works of prominent Chinese writer Lu Xun. In recent times, he translated the first volume of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s book 'The Governance of China' and completed the translation of its second volume at the age of 90. His wife, Shyama was Radio Beijing’s first Hindi announcer.

In 1961, he was given the Peace and Friendship Award by the then-Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.

Comrade Ballabh worked with the Chinese Embassy in India. After he was relieved from his job in the Chinese Embassy, he came in touch with Comrade M K Pandhe and CITU. In recognition of his experience in international affairs, he was assigned the responsibility of International affairs in CITU.  He joined CITU centre in 1998 and helped developing a well functional international department in CITU centre under the guidance of Comrade Pandhe. With his vast knowledge in international affairs, he had helped CITU in establishing relationships with Trade union movement in various countries. His contribution to CITU will always be remembered.

He had to shift to China with his son, following an illness. However, he continued to help CITU in many ways, especially with the international delegations. He was very particular in meeting the members of CITU who would visit Beijing in various delegations.

He is survived by his sons Atul who is working as Executive Director, FICCI in Beijing and Akhil a Singapore based Shipping Executive. CITU expresses it's grief at his demise and conveys heartfelt condolences to his sons, family and friends.

Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) expressed its profound grief and condolence at the demise the founder of Self Employed Women Association (SEWA), one of the largest cooperatives working for women with a base of two million members from around 18 States in the country.

A noted Gandhian Elaben Bhatt was the Chairperson of Sabarmati Ashram and also the chancellor of the Mahatma Gandhi founded Gujarat Vidyapith.

She was a member of Rajya Sabha and the Planning commission in the 1980s. She also served as an advisor to World Bank.

CITU sends its heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family members and the leaders and members of SEWA.

Issued By
Swadesh DevRoye
Secretary

CITU deeply mourns and expresses its Condolences to the bereaved families of 141 people, who died in the bridge collapse at Morbi, Gujarat. The death toll in the bridge collapse tragedy is climbing up; among the victims 47 were children and more than 50 were women. 

The tragic incident once again exposed the disastrous consequence of handing over the public infrastructure management, both at state and the centre, to private corporate contractor that too on liberal deregulated formats from the state-run public works departments with devastating implications of mass human loss. A company, Oreva group specialized in making CFL bulbs, wall clocks and e-bikes, that had no apparent expertise or track record in the concerned field was awarded contract to repair and operate the ill fated hanging bridge for 15 years and charge tickets in the range of Rs. 10 to Rs. 15 for its use. There are questions about the fitness of the bridge; the private company didn’t get the fitness certificate from Morbi municipal administration supposed to be issued by the corporation after examining the use-worthiness. All these point to a major failure of the governance at various levels. Had the Gujarat state Government done proper repair and maintenance engaging state public works department, the tragic human loss could have been avoided. It is also to be noted that chief minister of Gujarat is also the urban development minister of the state and this is under his jurisdiction. The chief minister himself should be hold accountable for the calamitous human loss.

While mourning and condoling the mass loss of lives, CITU also demands a thorough high level judicial probe into the whole matter to investigate that dreadful incident and fixing accountability. Only arresting a few contract company’s officials and security guards would merely cover up the inhuman negligence and callousness of the government of the day. CITU once again reiterates its demand to stop privatisation in the name of contract for repair and maintenance and operation of public infrastructure. CITU also demands public investments and state intervention in strengthening the public works departments.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary