On 16 September 2020, members of different unions affiliated to AICCTU protested in front of Shram Shakti Bhawan, which houses the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The Modi-led Government has accelerated its efforts to snatch away the rights of the workers by abrogation of 44 important labour laws.
AICCTU held orkshop of young and emerging cadres held at Bhubaneswar on 31 Aug – 1 Sep 2019 had four major subjects: 1. History of The Indian Working Class Movement – Tracing major milestones in the background of economic and political situation and tracing the history of ideological and political struggles and Emergence of Revolutionary Trade Unionism. 2. Challenges of Working Class Movement Today – a) Changing composition, Emerging Challenges; b) Major Issues, Policies, and our approach 3.
MODI led BJP government introduced and passed the wage code bill within a week, overriding several recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee in 2018. The striking difference between existing acts and the new one is that the Code provides greater scope for ambiguity, vagueness, inconsistencies in terms of definitions and for a definite pro-corporate tilt and orientation. In turn, it has provided greater scope for administrative and government interventions and manipulations of law.
THE 2nd conference of the Indian Railways Employees Federation (IREF) concluded successfully in Allahabad. The conference unanimously decided to affiliate IREF with AICCTU. It was also decided during the conference to campaign against new central government on rail workers issues like NPS, contractualisation, and privatisation. Zonal level mass struggles were planned that may culminate in a massive rally in Delhi. The zonal struggles and campaign may be preceded by a workshop. A team of leaders was formed to take up the New Pension Scheme issue.
A recent order by Tamil Nadu High Court upholding labour laws in a case of Coimbatore’s Pricol workers has come as a rare and welcome relief for the trade union movement and activists. The judgement is all the more significant because in recent years there have been a spate of anti-worker judgements in various Courts. The TN HC Order by Justice V. Parthiban held that violating the workers’ rights to unionise and using delaying tactics to avoid giving workers their due, amounts to a violation of fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution.
A colourful workers rally in Chennai on January 31 expressed its solidarity to the Free Pricol Two campaign, demanded withdrawal of the steep bus fare hike and an end to the TN Government’s attempt to weaken the public distribution system.
The rally came down heavily on the pro-corporate communal casteist Modi regime and it demanded resignation of anti-people dictatorial Palanichami government which has sold out the interests of the Tamil Nadu people on language, water rights, culture, food security and rights of the state.
Mangalore Port (New Mangalore Port Trust - NMPT) is one of the important pillars of the growth and development of Mangaluru. Around 75 percent of export of Coffee, Timber and Cashew nuts are handled by Mangaluru Port. The NMPT proudly claims that Container traffic increased by 25 % last year - but claims it is not responsible for drivers, mechanics and operators who do the hard labour of carrying those containers, driving, repairing and maintaining the traffic vehicles and handling equipment.
Responding to a call by the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions, comprising Central Trade Union Organisations and all major industry/establishment wise federations at a National Convention held on August 8, 2017, thousands of workers turned Parliament Street at New Delhi into a sea of red flags for three days.
THE Free Pricol 8 campaign organized by the Party all over the country for the release of 8 worker comrades of Pricol who were sentenced to double life imprisonment has won a huge though partial victory in the Madras High Court.Of the total 27 comrades who were chargesheeted for murder and criminal trespass with intent to kill, 25 are now acquitted while two remain convicted. The two convicted comrades who earlier carried double life imprisonment on them have been sentenced to life imprisonment now.
THE 3rd national conference of AICWF concluded in Ranchi on 29-30 September with a call of struggle for ‘Higher Wages and Regular Work.’ The conference venue was named after recently departed leader Comrade Swapan Mukherjee who played a prominent role in the formation of AICWF. The conference began with a massive Workers’ Rights Rally and March through prominent parts of the city. Many local construction workers standing on labour chowks spontaneously joined this march.