By Amarjeet Kaur
The General Council meeting of the All India Trade Union Congress was held at Thrissur, Kerala, from 1–3 June 2026. The meeting was attended by 246 delegates representing 22 states and various industrial federations and unions. During the session, a seminar on “Anti-Imperialism, Anti-War and World Peace” was organised. A book based on speeches delivered by veteran leader Binoy Viswam during his tenure as a legislator was released. Delegates also expressed solidarity with Cuba through a public demonstration and participated in an international signature campaign in support of Cuba.
The General Council reviewed political and economic developments since its previous meeting in May 2025. The report noted that earlier warnings about the dangers posed by the global situation and the policies of the RSS-BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had largely been confirmed by subsequent developments.
The Council observed that global capitalism is experiencing severe instability. On the one hand, tariff wars are being used by powerful countries to dominate developing economies and markets; on the other hand, military interventions and threats are increasingly used to secure strategic resources and geopolitical influence.
The Council expressed serious concern over the proposed trade arrangements between India and the United States. According to the report, India’s agricultural sector is being opened to American farm products under highly unequal conditions. While American products may gain easier access to Indian markets, Indian exports could face significantly higher tariffs in the United States.
The Council criticised the Modi government for allegedly conducting negotiations without transparency and without adequately informing Parliament or the public. It argued that such agreements could undermine the interests of Indian farmers, dairy producers, and domestic industries.
A major portion of the discussion focused on growing violations of international law and the weakening of multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations system. The report argued that powerful countries increasingly disregard international norms and the sovereign rights of nations.
The Council condemned military interventions and regime-change efforts in several countries. It criticised actions directed against Venezuela and referred to attempts to control strategic natural resources, particularly oil reserves.
The report also dealt extensively with the conflict involving Iran. It argued that military attacks against Iran were carried out despite ongoing diplomatic negotiations and despite the absence of conclusive evidence supporting allegations regarding nuclear weapons development. The Council viewed these actions as part of broader efforts to dominate the Middle East and gain control over strategic energy resources and trade routes.
The report further criticised continuing military actions in Gaza and Lebanon and accused expansionist forces in the region of obstructing peace efforts. It expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and called for an end to war and occupation.
The Council observed that India’s traditional policy of non-alignment and independent foreign relations has been weakened. It criticised the government for moving closer to the United States and Israel while failing to take principled positions on humanitarian crises and violations of international law.
The General Council reaffirmed the traditional labour movement position that major wars are rooted in economic and imperialist rivalries. It argued that when economic crises deepen beyond the capacity of capitalist systems to resolve them, ruling classes often resort to military conflict.
The report emphasised that workers, peasants, youth, students, women, and ordinary citizens have no interest in war. Their aspirations are for employment, education, healthcare, social security, peace, and dignity. The Council stressed that wars destroy human lives, divert public resources away from welfare, worsen inflation, and inflict long-term environmental damage.
The Council noted that India’s overall economic condition has deteriorated. It highlighted the rapid growth of public debt and argued that economic growth has failed to generate sufficient employment opportunities.
The report pointed to alarming levels of unemployment, particularly among educated youth. A large proportion of unemployed persons are graduates in the 20–29 age group. Youth unemployment remains especially severe in both urban and rural areas.
The Council argued that despite government claims regarding women’s empowerment, women continue to face insecure employment, lower wages, and inadequate support systems. Lack of childcare facilities remains a major obstacle to women’s participation in the workforce. The report reiterated trade union demands to strengthen childcare services and regularise the employment of ICDS workers.
According to the Council, labour force participation rates have declined significantly. Rising living costs have forced many workers to take on multiple jobs or work excessively long hours just to maintain basic living standards. The report cited studies suggesting that a large percentage of workers are actively seeking second jobs because wages are insufficient to meet household expenses.
The Council strongly criticised the government for eliminating sanctioned posts rather than recruiting qualified youth. It referred to the largescale abolition of positions in the railway sector and highlighted millions of vacancies across government departments and public sector enterprises.
It argued that contractual employment, outsourcing, and fixed-term employment are increasingly replacing secure jobs. Simultaneously, privatisation and the sale of public sector enterprises continue, weakening economic self-reliance and reducing stable employment opportunities.
The report expressed deep concern about the state of education. It argued that budget allocations for education remain inadequate and that large numbers of teaching positions in universities, colleges, and schools remain vacant.
The Council criticised the closure of government schools in several states and warned that the commercialisation of education is making professional courses increasingly inaccessible to ordinary families. It also referred to controversies surrounding examination systems and recruitment processes, which have created uncertainty among students and job seekers.
The report noted rising stress among students and linked it to increasing incidents of student suicides. It argued that educational policy is steadily undermining the public education system.
The General Council observed similar trends in the healthcare sector. It criticised low public investment, shortages of medical personnel, and growing dependence on private and corporate hospitals.
The Council argued that public healthcare institutions require substantial strengthening and that social security coverage must be expanded rather than diluted. It expressed concern that recent labour and social security reforms weaken protections available to workers, especially those in the informal economy.
The report emphasised the difficult conditions faced by informal workers, contract workers, agricultural labourers, street vendors, casual workers, and other vulnerable sections.
According to the Council, these groups receive little meaningful social protection despite constituting a major share of the workforce. The Council reiterated demands for universal social security, improved pension coverage, healthcare benefits, and stronger labour rights.
The report criticised the Agnipath recruitment scheme and argued that fixed-term military recruitment may weaken long-term defence preparedness. It also highlighted large vacancies in the armed police forces and several key ministries. According to the Council, the government’s inability to fill these positions demonstrates a broader failure to address unemployment and public service needs.
One of the most significant discussions concerned recent labour unrest in industrial centres across the country, including Noida, Manesar, Bhiwadi, Neemrana, Pithampur, Barauni, Panipat, Surat, and other industrial regions.
The Council observed that many of these protests arose from worsening living conditions, stagnant wages, rising fuel prices, insecure employment, and denial of labour rights. A large proportion of industrial workers are migrants who live under difficult conditions with limited access to basic services.
Workers have increasingly raised demands for: Higher wages. Eight-hour working days. Overtime compensation. Workplace safety. Social security coverage. Paid leave. Job cards and payslips. Dignity at work.
The report criticised state authorities for responding to worker protests through arrests, police action, and legal repression.
The Council noted signs of reverse migration from industrial centres, with workers returning to their home states due to deteriorating working and living conditions. Surat’s textile industry was cited as one example where large numbers of migrant workers reportedly left their jobs. The report warned that such developments could create broader economic disruptions if underlying grievances remain unaddressed.
The Council discussed recent struggles faced by fixed-term engineers employed in public-sector aviation maintenance services. Despite performing highly skilled and responsible work for many years, these workers continue to face low wages, long hours, and inferior employment conditions compared with permanent employees.
The Council argued that such discrimination reflects a broader trend affecting workers throughout the economy.
A major organisational position reaffirmed by the Council was its demand for the immediate repeal of the four Labour Codes. The Council argued that these laws weaken collective bargaining rights and labour protections.
It called upon the government to convene the Indian Labour Conference without delay and engage in meaningful dialogue with trade unions.
The Council expressed concern over what it described as a steady erosion of democratic rights. It criticised developments affecting electoral processes, voting rights, civil liberties, and institutional independence.
The report also opposed attempts to link constitutional measures, including women’s reservation provisions, with delimitation exercises in ways that could affect representation.
The Council criticised proposals that could encourage communal polarisation and undermine India’s secular constitutional framework.
The report argued that divisive politics based on religion and communal hatred pose serious dangers to democratic values. It reaffirmed support for secularism, equality, freedom of expression, and the right to dissent.
The Council called upon working people to reject divisive politics and unite around common socioeconomic issues such as employment, education, healthcare, housing, social security, and public welfare.
The General Council unanimously adopted “29 resolutions” covering a wide range of national and international issues affecting workers, peasants, youth, women, democracy, peace, and social justice.
These resolutions addressed: Defence of labour rights. Opposition to war and imperialism. Protection of democratic rights. Employment generation. Public sector strengthening. Universal social security. Support for farmers and agricultural workers. Expansion of education and healthcare. Defence of secular and constitutional values.
The Council concluded that the present situation requires intensified mass struggles against anti-worker, anti-people, and anti-national policies.
It emphasised the importance of unity among trade unions and stronger coordination between workers and peasants. The report described worker-peasant unity as one of the most important positive developments in the current period.
To strengthen this alliance, the Council endorsed plans for a National Convention of Workers and Peasants on 29 July, aimed at developing a common strategy for future struggles.
The General Council ended with a call for broader unity among workers, peasants, youth, women, and democratic forces. It urged people to defend their rights, resist privatisation and corporate domination, strengthen public institutions, and advance struggles for equality, dignity, justice, peace, and social progress. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to building a society based on social justice, democratic rights, and economic equality. (IPA Service)
