Forward to the 14th Conference of CITU at Kannur

Towards Strengthening Unity and Countrywide Struggles!

CITU is getting ready for its 14th Conference, scheduled to be held in Kannur in Kerala on 4 - 8 April 2013. The 13th conference was held in Chandigarh on 17-21 March 2010.

This three year period was a period of great importance in the 43 years existence of CITU, for the organisation as well as for the working people of the country. This was a period when the working class of India has shown its capacity to unitedly fight on the demands of not only the workers but all the working people in the country. This was a period when the country witnessed an unprecedented unity of all the central trade unions and most of the national federations, which came together to fight on a common ten point charter of demands. In many states several regional and independent trade unions too joined in the campaigns and struggles further widening trade union unity.

For CITU, it was a step towards fulfilling the clarion call given at the time of its foundation Conference in May 1970.

Immediately after its formation, CITU started its efforts to turn its slogan ‘Unity and Struggle’, into a reality. These efforts received the support and solidarity of several organisations and resulted in the formation of various joint platforms including the United Council of Trade Unions (UTUC), the National Campaign Committee (NCC), the Sponsoring Committee of Indian Trade Unions and the National Platform of Mass Organisations. The joint movement was further broadened since 2009 achieving total unity of all the central trade unions and national federations.

Almost all these struggles were on issues concerning various sections of working people – for remunerative prices for the peasants, comprehensive law for the agricultural workers, for ensuring employment and unemployment relief to the youth – these were raised by the historic 19th January 1982 strike, the first of its kind in independent India.

From that country wide strike to the recent 48 hours General strike, the Trade Unions in the country have broken many a barriers and its importance and impact has already been noted by various sections.

As the General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) George Mavrikos noted “The successful two day strike has been an important lesson for the international working class and a loud message to the Indian Government”.

It is a fact of the day, that not in many countries we have united actions by the central trade unions affiliated with ITUC, WFTU and those not affiliated with any international organisation. It is also a fact that not many would have even dreamed of a joint platform of all the Central TUs and National Federations in India considering the happenings during the past.

Each and every organisation, now involved in this joint movement has contributed in its own way in making this joint platform and struggles a reality.

For its part, CITU, true to the call from its foundation conference and its class orientation, has made all efforts to discharge its role with the necessary enthusiasm, initiative, commitment and dedication. Every member of CITU can be proud of that role.

Sectoral to National
In fact, the joint activities at various sectoral levels like steel, coal etc and by the CPSTU in the Central PSUs in general, played an important role in unifying the workers. Almost all the major sectors like electricity, transport, banks, insurance, defence production, telecom and government employees, saw united struggles at various levels including country wide sectoral strikes, during the last 30 years.

In the recent period the scheme workers like the anganwadi employees, ASHAs, mid day meal workers and others and the workers in the unorganised sector like beedi etc have also conducted united campaigns and struggles. This period also saw many a united struggles in various states.

These struggles have laid a firm foundation for lower level unity in the joint national struggles.

At the time of the 13th Conference, the present phase of united struggles had begun. The inaugural session of the 13th Conference in Chandigarh, witnessed the reiteration of strengthening united struggles by various central TUs.

Immediately after the Conference, the decision to go for a countrywide strike on a five point charter of demands was taken. The strike on 7th September 2010, incidentally, coincided with the International Day of Action called by WFTU, resulting in strikes and struggles in different parts of the world.

Last 3 years saw two more general strikes – on 28th February 2012 and on 20-21 February 2013. In between, we witnessed the largest mobilisation of workers for a Parliament March on 23rd February 2011 and again another March on 20th December. Large scale demonstrations, dharnas and Jail Bharo were also organised. There were many sectoral strikes also during this period, including few countrywide strike actions.

CITU, carrying forward the decisions of the 13th Conference played an effective role in all these struggles – national, state and at work spot level.

CITU has taken the message of unity and struggle to every nook and corner of the country. The improvement in carrying the message of unity down to grass root level has been noted during the successful 48 hours strike.

Independent movements
CITU unions and federations and also committees at various levels, took up many issues independently and conducted militant strikes and struggles. The struggles for trade union rights especially in MNCs indifferent parts of the country conducted during the last 3 years, are of great importance and notable successes have been attained in this and also on economic demands of those workers. This period also saw democratic rights of the workers and the people in general being trampled by various governments and workers militantly resisting these attacks.

CITU leaders and also workers, both men and women, faced physical attacks from police, goondas, had cases foisted on them and put in jail. There were large scale victimisations in different parts of the country. CITU could fight back effectively in many centres, often with the solidarity and support of fraternal trade unions and mass organisations. Many a local struggles, in organised, unorganised sectors and by the scheme workers were conducted in different states.

The country wide one day strike by construction workers led by CWFI in November 2012 was an important struggle in the unorganised sector. The two days’ mahapadav of the scheme workers organised by CITU, in New Delhi in November 2012, witnessed massive mobilisation, especially of women workers, creating more confidence and fighting spirit not only among the participants but also among the CITU movement as a whole.

International Tasks
It was during this period that CITU got formally affiliated to WFTU and has also taken up certain organisational responsibilities.

CITU’s tradition of upholding the banner of international solidarity is being carried forward, despite many a limitations and difficulties.

Critical period
The period after the last Conference was also politically critical to the working people. Chandigarh Conference was within a year of the 2009 general elections, in which the Left parties faced a set back. In the assembly elections, Left lost both West Bengal and Kerala. We saw a belligerent UPA II going ahead with its neo-liberal agenda and the main opposition party, BJP, generally supporting the Government on these policy matters. Almost all the state governments, though led by different political parties of national and regional status, also followed these disastrous policies.

West Bengal witnessed murderous attacks on the trade unions and on the cadres and leaders of the left and democratic movement. The effect of so called `paribortan’ is new being experienced by everybody with the whole democratic system under attack.

It was in such a critical situation, that the trade unions could successfully build up a united movement, challenging the neo-liberal policies and demanding a change in these policies towards an alternative set of policies. Trade Unions could put the policy issues and also the peoples’ demands on focus.

The unprecedented mobilisation of various sections of people protesting against corruption, attacks on women etc., and demanding justice to various sections are notable developments. Added to these are the impact of the 48 hours general strike, which received massive support of ordinary people in urban and rural centres.

All these are the reflections of the urge among masses for a change. These have to be properly channelised into a mass movement and it is here, the Trade Unions should play a leading role.

All these mobilisations, mass movements and successes attained in various struggles and also the victory of the left front in Tripura, leading to the formation of the seventh LF government form the background of the ensuing 14th Conference.

All these are happening at a time, when the capitalist system is engulfed in an unprecedented crisis. This was noted in the Chandigarh Conference and the crisis has further deepened after that.

The working class, all over the world, in all the continents is on the move, struggling against the denial of even its existing rights and benefits resulting in serious attacks on livelihood of the working people. The increasing disparities all over the world resulted in the now famous slogan `99 percent Vs One percent!’

Despite the severe attacks and serious problems even in day to day functioning of trade unions in many parts of West Bengal, CITU has improved its over all strength after the last Conference. Though there are many a weaknesses still persisting in different areas, CITU is marching ahead.

The Kannur Conference will be discussing all the issues of importance to the working people of the country and also going into various aspects of organisational growth of CITU. This conference will pave the way for further strengthening the united activities and struggles of working class and also other sections of toiling masses!

A.K. Padmanabhan

Preparations have already begun in Kannur, Kerala for the 14th All India Conference of CITU, to be held from 4th to 8th April 2013. On this occasion, let us have a brief look at all the previous conferences.

Foundation Conference
The All India Trade Union Conference was held from 28th to 30th May, as per the decision of a Convention of General Council members and State Committee members of AITUC, held at Goa on 9th and 10th April 1970. It was held at Lenin Nagar (Ranji Stadium) in Kolkata. A reception committee with Com. Jyoti Basu as Chairman and Com. Manoranjan Roy as General Secretary organized the conference. Reception Committee had enrolled 50,000 workers as members of the committee. The review made later noted that the enthusiasm among workers for this conference was such that, when a call was made for collection of Rs.2 lakhs, 3 lakhs was collected within a short period of 3 weeks! The Conference was attended by 4264 delegates representing 1759 unions with a membership of 8,04,637/- from 18 states. Fraternal unions sent 116 delegates and 1134 observers attended the conference, making a total of 5514 participants. The Conference was guided by a presidium consisting of Mohammed Ismail, Suhrid Mullick Chaudhury, Haridas Malakar, E. Balanandan, Bimalanada Mukherji, A Balasubramaniam and S.Y. Kolhatkar. P. Ramamurti presented the report, which was earlier circulated in English, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, Tamil and Malayalam. There were brief translation of all speeches in all languages for the delegates. The resolution on formation of a new All India Trade Union Centre, to be named Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) was moved in the Conference on 30th May, by Com.Manoranjan Roy (West Bengal) and seconded by E. Balanandan (Kerala); which was passed unanimously among thunderous applause and shouting of slogans.

The Conference elected B.T. Ranadive as President, P. Ramamurti as General Secretary and Kamal Sarkar as Treasurer. Mohammed Ismail, S.Y. Kolhatkar, E. Balanandan, Suhrid Mallick Chaudhari and Sudhin Kumar were elected Vice-Presidents and M.K. Pandhe, Manoranjan Roy and Niren Ghosh as Secretaries. The Conference elected 158 General Council members and 33 working committee members were elected by the General Council. The Working Committee included Coms. Jyoti Basu and Samar Mukherji. On 31st May, a massive rally of 10 lakhs of workers was held in the Brigade Parade Ground.

Second Conference
Second All India Conference was held in Ernakulam, in Kerala from 18th to 22nd April 1973. Meeting after 3 years of the foundation conference and at the time of serious political developments in the country, this was an important conference in our history. Com. B.T. Ranadive, in his presidential address referred to the massive arrests of Comrades who were put behind bars under MISA and to the monstrous repression in West Bengal and also in other states. General Secretary’s report, presented by Com. P.Ramamurti gave details about all these attacks and the struggles being conducted by our unions, defending the rights of working people. The Conference reelected Com. BTR and PR as President and General Secretary. Com. Jyoti Basu was elected as one of the Seven Vice Presidents. Samar Mukherjee was elected Treasurer. The conference concluded with a massive rally on 22nd April.

Third Conference at Mumbai
Third Conference was held in Mumbai, from 21st to 25th May 1975. Com. B.T.R, began his Presidential Address, greeting to people of Vietnam and Cambodia, for their epochal victories against US imperialism. He also referred to the continuous struggles conducted by the Indian Working class. Among others, he noted that “on an average more than a million and half are engaged in strike action since 1966, a whole decade.”

In his concluding address, Com. BTR, referred in detail to the points raised in the discussions, increasing attacks on working class and pointed out that more and more attacks, including those on our democratic rights are in the offing. He thundered, “We stand by class struggle, we have got a conception of class struggle, we have got a conception of worker-peasant alliance. Anything which deviates from this, will not take us to the goal of revolution”. He also pointed out that “inspite of immediate difficulties, we are entering a period of tremendous opportunities”. The Conference reelected Coms. BTR and PR as President and General Secretary and Manoranjan Roy was elected Treasurer. Coms. Samar Mukherjee and Nrisingha Chakraborty were among the six Secretaries.

Chennai Conference
The Fourth Conference was held at Chennai, from 11 to 15 April 1979. The period between the third and fourth Conference was a period of critical importance to the Indian democratic movement. Within a month of 3rd Conference, Emergency was declared and denial of democratic rights was complete. The authoritarian Govt., led by Indira Gandhi, violated all democratic norms but could not continue in power. 1977 elections to the Lok Sabha, brought to power a Janata Party Govt. the first non-Congress Govt. at centre. Later, in West Bengal Assembly elections, the first Left Govt. was voted to power and Com. Jyoti Basu became the Chief Minister. In 1978, Tripura also voted for a left front government.

The united struggle involving all Central Trade Unions against the Industrial Relations Bill in 1978 was a new phase of united trade union movement.
It was in this fourth conference, a separate meeting of working women was held and the All India Co-ordination Committee of working women was formed with Comrade Vimala Ranadive as Convener. Coms. BTR and PR were reelected as President and General Secretary and Samar Mukherjee was elected Treasurer. Com. Sushila Gopalan was one of the nine Vice-Presidents and was the first woman in the CITU secretariat.

Kanpur Conference
The Fifth Conference of CITU was held in Kanpur, the historic industrial centre of many struggles in the pre independent India; from 13 to 17 April 1983. This Conference coincided with the death centenary year of Karl Marx and the Conference called upon the delegates to assimilate his teachings and carry forward the message to the grass roots level to expose conspiracies of imperialism led by USA.

Among the foreign delegates in the Conference were those from Soviet Union and Peoples Republic of China. Among those greeted the conference was Com. Indrajit Gupta, General Secretary AITUC and O.P. Aghi Secretary BMS. On behalf of All India KisanSabha, Com. Harkishan Sigh Surjeet greeted the Conference. 2196 delegates including 57 women, 43 observers and 16 fraternal delegates attended the conference. 1069 delegates had been to jail. Com. BTR was reelected as President and Samar Mukherjee was the new General Secretary. Com. PR was one of the eleven Vice Presidents. Com.E. Balanandan was elected as Treasurer. Totally there were 20 secretariat members.

Com. BTR in his concluding address referred to the increasing lockouts and called upon the delegates “to convert the anti lock-out struggles into democratic struggles against this anti-social Act of employers”. Referring to the formation of National Campaign Committee and the country wide general strike on 19th January 1982, he said that the consciousness about unity and united struggles is growing and that is a welcome feature.

Sixth Conference at Mumbai
The Sixth Conference was held in Mumbai, 18-22 May 1987. This was the second time Mumbai was hosting the Conference. The period after the fifth conference was a period of rapid changes in our country and the world. The conference noted that because of persistent efforts and overcoming many obstacles, the struggle for trade union unity has been successful and this unity has been strengthened. It was also noted that inspite of various endeavours, “United strength of working class has not succeeded in stunning the tide of economic offensive”.

The period after fifth conference was a period of fight against communal, divisive and disruptive forces and CITU committees and unions have been in the forefront of struggle against these forces. This conference reiterated the clarion call for formation of a “Confederation of Central Trade Unions, and national federations, where all issues concerning labour and economic policy can be discussed freely and decisions taken unanimously”. A full day session on issues of working women was held.

Com. Jyoti Basu, third time Chief Minister of West Bengal and Vice-President, addressed the conference, exhorting the delegates to be more organized, united and politically conscious, against the policies of Central Government, which were increasingly directed against the working class. He explained the relation between left front government in West Bengal and the working class, Com. Jyoti Basu, said that the Govt. has called upon the employers to meet genuine demands of workers, otherwise workers will be compelled to resort to agitation and strikes.

Com. B.T. Ranadive, Samar Mukherjee and E. Balanandan were reelected as President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Out of the total 26 Secretariat members, there were 3 women – Sushila Gopalan, Ahalya Rangnekar and Vimala Ranadive. The Conference venue at Mumbai was named after Com. V.P. Chintan a senior leder of CITU from Tamilnadu. He died in Moscow on 8th May, where he had gone on behalf of CITU to attend May Day celebrations. 2366 delegates and 80 observers attended the conference among them 134 were women. 1114 comrades were attending the conference for first time and 209 had attended all the five previous conference.

Seventh Conference
Calcutta hosted the Seventh Conference, from 13 to 17 February 1991. This was the second time the Conference was being held there, the first being the foundation conference. 21 years after the foundation conference, the working class was facing new challenges. This was the first time, CITU was holding its conference without Coms. BTR and PR amongst the delegates. Com. Jyoti Basu presided over the inaugural session. The Conference noted the increase in membership despite increasing closures. Com. Samar Mukherjee stressed the need for collective and democratic functioning at all levels.

Com. Jyoti Basu, in his concluding speech, referred to the dangerous growth of communal and divisive forces and called upon the working class, to defeat and isolate them. He laid stress on bringing the workers in the unorganized sector into the fold of trade union actions. The Conference elected Coms. E. Balanandan and M.K. Pandhe as President and General Secretary. Both of them were members of the Secretariat from the foundation conference. Ranjit Basu was the new treasurer. The Conference concluded with a mass rally at Brigade Parade Ground on 17th. CITU membership crossed 20 lakhs by the time of this conference. 2341 delegates and 121 observers attended the conference. There were 121 women participants in the conference.

Working Womens Convention
A separate convention of working women was held prior to the conference, on 12th and 13th February, attended by 475 delegates from 18 states. This was the new beginning of having separate convention of working women at national level after the separate sessions in conference, which stated in 4th Conference in 1979.

Patna Conference
The Eighth Conference was held in Patna, from 3 to 7 March 1994. The clarion call of the Conference was to further strengthen the united movement of Trade Unions and also to strengthen the united movements with other mass organizations. Stepping up the actions against the IMF prescribed policies of the Narasimha Rao Govt. was the need of the hour. This was the message from the conference. Presided by Com. E. Balanandan, the conference was inaugurated by Com.Jyoti Basu, Vice-President and Chief Minister of West Bengal. The mass rally was held in the afternoon.

Nine Commissions were formed to discuss various important issues. Conference held detailed discussions on the new economic policies.
In his concluding address Com. E. Balanandan pointed out that “Unity of the T.U. movement to-day is reflected not only for defending the rights of the working class but for defending the unity and integrity of the country and its sovereignty. The fight against all round offensive by imperialism is therefore to be further strengthened and given shape of mass actions”. Com. E. Balanandan and M.K. Pandhe were reelected President and General Secretary. Com. Saroj Choudhary was elected Treasurer. There were 16 Vice-president and 20 Secretaries. 2031 delegates from 21 States including 133 women attended the Conference.

Ninth Conference
Kochi hosted the CITU Conference for the second time from 21-26 April 1997. “Towards big battles against Globalisation and Liberalisation” was the call of the ninth conference. Building up the unity of the working class was stressed in the sessions of the conference. A Seminar on T.U. unity in the struggle against the New Economic Policy was held which was addressed by leaders of other Central TUs including A.B. Bardhan (AITUC). AITUC and HMS proposed immediate merger of central TUs in the seminar. CITU emphasized the need of formation of a confederation of all central T.Us, which would further pave the way for formation of a singe national T.U. centre in the country. There were six commissions, discussing various important subjects. On 20th April, fifth Convention of working women was held. 307 delegates from 17 states attended.

Com. E.K. Nayanar, Chief Minister of Kerala, addressed the Delegate Session and the public rally. 2409 delegates attended the conference. 178 were women. E. Balanandan, M.K. Pandhe and Ranjit Basu were elected President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Total Secretariat members were 36.

Tenth Conference
Andhra Pradesh hosted the tenth conference, which was held in Hyderabad from 27-30 December 2000. Com. Balanandan in his presidential address dealt with various struggles at the international level and noted developing resistance to U.S. imperialism. The conference discussion referred to the return of N.D.A. to power in 1999 and their efforts to dismantling PSUs and other actions in the name of second generation reforms. It also noted that there have been umpteen number of struggles by various sections of workers. Developing a powerful mass movement was the need of the hour. That was the understanding that arose from the discussions.

Conference discussed 7 important issues in commissions. This conference also had a separate discussion on organization. A call for an All India protest day was given to be observed on 24th January 2001. Prior to the conference, on 16-17 September, Sixth All India Convention of working women was held in Haldia and a resolution on tasks on working womens front was adopted in the conference. 2542 delegates attended the conference which included 262 women. E. Balanandan, M.K. Pandhe and Ranjit Basu were reelected President, General Secretary and Treasurer. In total there were 35 members in the Secretariat.

Chennai Conference
Chennai hosted the All India Conference for the second time, from 9 to 14 December 2003. This was the Eleventh Conference.
The Conference had detailed discussions on the situation nationally and also at international level. This was in the background of the policies of NDA Govt. and the increasing attacks on the working people. The recommendations of the Second National Commission on labour, had sought to take away whatever protection workers had enjoyed due to incessant struggles. In spite of opposition from the democratic sections, Govt. had enacted the draconian POTA.

The conference had a full session on the tasks among working women. The conference had six separate commissions to discuss important issues.
The new secretariat had 35 members. Com. M.K. Pandhe and Chittabrata Majumdar were elected President and General Secretary. Ranjit Basu was reelected Treasurer. Com. E. Balanandan was elected as one of the ten Vice-Presidents. Coms. Samar Mukherjee, C. Kannan and R. Umanath had opted to be relieved from their responsibilities. Com. E. Balanandan, in his concluding address paid glowing tributes to these comrades. Number of women comrades in the Secretariat increased to 4 in this conference. The Conference concluded with a massive procession and rally. Budhadeb Bhattacharya, Chief Minister of West Bengal was the main speaker in the rally.

Bangalore Conference
Bangalore hosted the Twelfth Conference of CITU from 17 to 21 January 2007. Five jathas from Amritsar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram were organized as a run up to the conference and were received at the conference venue on 17th morning. Com. Pandhe, in his Presidential addressed dealt in detail, the developments in the international arena.

General Secretary Com. Chittabrata Majumdar, dealt with the onslaught on labour in detail. He referred to the second generation reforms of UPA Govt. and noted that the main pillars of these reforms have been total liberalization of financial sector, complete overhauling of labour laws aimed at casualisation and contractorisation of the labour force and complete liberalization and deregulation of trade. This was a period when we had 3 all India strikes in all the three preceding years; 24th February 2004, 29th September 2005 and 14th December 2006.

This conference gave a call for observance of birth centenary of Com. P. Ramamurti from 20th September 2007; for one year and for establishment of a Trade Union School in the name of Com. P. Ramamurti. 2439 delegates including 297 women attended the conference. There were 55 fraternal delegates from different parts of the world. Com. M.K. Pandhe, Chittabrata Majumdar and Rajit Basu were reelected President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Com. Chittabrata Majumdar passed away immediately after the conference and Mohammed Amin was elected General Secretary in February 2007.

Chandigarh Conference
The 13th Conference, was held in Chandigarh from 17 to 21 March 2010. This conference was being held after the General election in 2009 and UPAII had come to power. In the background of the political situation, this conference pointed out the challenges ahead as well as opportunities.

The United Trade Union movement has got further strengthened with all Central Trade Unions had come together to struggle for a common charter of demand. The inaugural session of the Chandigarh conference reflected this with leaders of all central trade unions being present there to declare united struggles in the coming period. The venue was named after Com. Jyoti Basu, our veteran leader and Vice-President from the Second Conference. In between we had also lost Comrades Balanandan, Chittabrata Majumdar and Ranjit Basu. Conference was attended by George Mavrikose General Secretary of CITU. 2410 delegates including 357 women from 24 states attended this conference; representing 50,50,942 members.

The Conference had discussed six important subjects in commissions. A.K. Padmanabhan, Tapan Sen and Ranjana Nirula were elected as the new President, General Secretary and Treasurer. Six women comrades were elected to the secretariat. The Conference concluded with a well attended mass rally.

The emergence and sustenance of united trade movement of the Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSU) Workers in India has a very long history. The very beginning can be traced in the joint convention of the CPSU workers held at Hyderabad on 23-24 December 1977. That period has been significant for the reason that a new political situation emerged in the country with defeat at the hustings the most atrocious avowedly anti-worker authoritarian ‘Internal Emergency’ (June 1975 to November 1977) regime of Indira Gandhi and the Janata Party Government came to power at the centre. Although CPSTU formally came into existence a few years later, actually this convention laid the foundation stone for the CPSTU.

The period since the Hyderabad convention, the country witnessed regular hectic activities of the Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSU) workers jointly organised by CITU, AITUC, HMS, BMS and the two Apex Forums of CPSU workers at Bangalore and Hyderabad. The struggles took place at industry, regional and national levels.

The major issues of the period concerning which the struggles took place were against wage freeze steps of the Government, against anti-worker unilateral guidelines issued by Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) directed at curbing the right to collective bargaining, against fraud in compilation of Consumer Price Index (CPI) and proper fixation of rate of Dearness Allowance, Bonus to all workers etc etc. The other most important issue of the same period was the fight against atrocious Industrial Relations Bill designed to take away the trade union rights of the workers, opposition to Compulsory Deposit Scheme (CDS) etc.

The CITU has been taking very seriously the joint movement of the CPSU workers right from the inception. The organisational strength of CITU amongst the CPSU workers all over the country since then has been growing rapidly. Rajib Gandhi Government, in the mid-eighties, took concrete steps to ideologically and financially weaken public sector in the country. The ground work was done by the infamous Arjun Sengupta Committee Report which recommended taking away the workers collective bargaining rights among other steps. CITU took initiative to defeat this design and unify the public sector workers against such moves.

A related important development of the period was a convention of the CPSU trade the unions affiliated to CITU and also the unions friendly to CITU was held at Bangalore on 27-28 May 1985 which was attended by 284 delegates representing 84 trade unions from different CPSU workers. Reporting about the convention it was noted that, “the Bangalore convention has been a turning point in the PSU trade union movement. This initiative of CITU paved the way for consolidating the unity of PSU workers and ultimately the CPSTU came into being.”

Amidst the aforesaid on going struggles of the CPSU workers a joint national convention took place at New Delhi on 21-22 October 1986. Around 300 trade unions and 50 National Federations of the CPSU workers represented by over 800 delegates participated in the convention. A 14-point Charter of Demands (CoD) was adopted in the convention. The programmes to press for the CoD finalised in the convention included a nationwide strike on 21st January 1987. The convention expressed its firm resolve to fight the policy of demolition and privatisation of CPSUs initiated by the then Rajiv Gandhi Government.

The other historic decision of the same convention was the formation of Committee of Public Sector Trade Unions (CPSTU). The founding constituents of the CPSTU were CITU, AITUC, HMS, BMS, Joint Action Front (JAF), Bangalore and Co-ordination Committee of Public Sector Trade Unions, Hyderabad.

As a sequel to the demolition of Babri Masjid and accompanied communal holocaust in the country designed and executed by the ‘Sangh Parivar’ in 1992 the BMS got separated from the CPSTU.
CPSTU took formal shape of a united platform of the major segment of the trade union movement in the country including the core and strategic sectors through a long drawn phase of united struggles of the CPSU workers. It has truly emerged from the thick of struggles. CPSTU is the concrete manifestation of the concept of Unity and Struggle. In fact CPSTU is the longest ever united forum of trade unions continuing its active existence in the country. No other joint initiative or forums of trade unions in the country existed for such a long period. At the peak of its activities the CPSTU had really represented around 20 lakhs (2 million) workers spread over around 200 CPSU in the country.

The contributions of CPSTU strengthening the trade union movement in the country have been huge in dimension and basic in character. The activities of CPSTU contributed in broadening the functioning frame work of the major industrial sector trade union movement from the confine of factory level to industry-wise national level. The major industry-wise national federations really derived strength from the activities of CPSTU. At the instance of CPSTU the industry-wise national level joint activities of trade unions in different industrial sectors got a big boost. Thus the working class movement of the country switched over from local level consciousness to national level consciousness as a consequence of the emergence of CPSTU.

Yet another major area in which the contribution of the CPSTU must be counted the most is the realisation of PSU-wise apex level collective bargaining system. This achievement of the CPSTU has made significant contributions in many ways in our trade union movement. One of the basic rights of the workers i.e., Right to Collective Bargaining got institutionalised for the workers of the CPSUs covering the almost all the major industrial sectors in the country. This has also shown the way to others.

Over the period the compensation package of the CPSU workers achieved the height of setting standard in the country. This has been possible entirely due to the united strength and struggles of the around 20 lakh PSU workers engineered by the CPSTU. Before the surfacing of the collective agreements of the CPSU workers the situation was pitiable. But it is important to understand and remember that but for leadership provided by CPSTU in fighting the policies of the Government in restricting the right to collective bargaining and achieving quality compensation package it would not have been possible to achieve by the individual industries or CPSUs as it is before us today. These are of course, apart from the contribution of CPSTU in the general trade union movement of the country in fighting the anti-worker policies initiated by the ruling classes from time to time.

And with the introduction of the World Bank and IMF prescribed economic policies by the Congress party Government in July 1991 and pushed with added degree of onslaught by the every successive Government at the centre focusing all round attack on public sector, the fight to protect public sector became the most urgent issue before the CPSU workers in particular and CPSTU unfailingly played its historical role. Before 1991, the period preceding to the introduction of the disastrous Fund-Bank dictated economic policies, the CPSU workers conducted many long drawn battles including many strike struggles for the cause of public sector industries and its workers. These struggles were led by CPSTU. However in the current onslaught against public sector since 1991, the struggles has attained new dimension necessitating broader level of intervention of the patriotic democratic movement of the country and the CPSTU is a front ranking constituent of these struggles.

However, CPSTU is really the source of inspiration and symbol of struggles for the CPSU workers in the country. Presently the top most priority task before the CPSU workers is to protect the public sector from the liquidating onslaught of the policies of liberalisation and privatisation. At the same time the urgent economic issues pertaining to the current round of collective bargaining for the 7th round of wage negotiations is also important. CPSTU is definitely destined to discharge its historical responsibilities in this respect.

OFFICE BEARERS ELECTED IN THE 17TH CONFERENCE OF CITU
18-22 JANUARY 2023, BANGALORE 

President: K HEMALATA
General Secretary: TAPAN SEN
Treasurer: M SAIBABU

CENTRE OF INDIAN TRADE UNIONS (CITU)
GENERAL COUNCIL ELECTED BY THE 17th CONFERENCE OF CITU
18-22 JANUARY 2023, BANGALORE 

Centre

GC – 15

CENTRE OF INDIAN TRADE UNIONS (CITU)
WORKING COMMITTEE ELECTED BY THE 17^th CONFERENCE OF CITU
23-27 January, Chennai, Tamilnadu