By Amarjeet Kaur
AITUC has decided to intensify its struggle against the anti-working class and anti-people policies of the Narendra Modi led RSS-controlled BJP government at the Centre. As part of the main programme the AITUC working committee has decided to carry out a 40-day nation-wide campaign with the slogans like ‘Save Workers, Save Nation’,’ Oust Anti-people Modi government’, starting from the Quit India Anniversary Day on August 9, 2018 and to culminate on September 18.
The Working Committee of AITUC which met in AITUC Bhawan, New Delhi decided to carry out a 40-day vigorous campaign with the slogan ‘Mazdoor Bachao, Desh Bachao. The meeting after serious discussion decided to organise a 40- day campaign from August 9 to September 18, 2018 in all the states focusing on the need for the ouster of antiworker, anti-people and anti-national government of RSS-BJP led by Narendra Modi. The government is on the fifth year of its rule and the people are being crushed with all kinds of neo-liberal policies. The fascistic tendencies are getting exposed with everyday incidents and utterances of those who matter in the power hierarchy. While on the one hand the country’s economy is being handed over to the corporate houses and MNCs, on the other side tacit support is being extended to communal outfits in spreading hatred and communal poison to divide the society as well as to distract people’s attentions from their real issues of livelihood, education, health, shelter, drinking water, sanitation and social security, etc.
The after effects of demonetisation are still hurting deeply the country’s employment scenario, hitting badly the homebased units and small-medium scale sector as well as the retail trade. The impact of GST has led to further worsening of the situation in trade and businesses with uprooting of livelihood. Also the doors have been kept wide open for FDI in banking, insurance, defence, aviation, railways, pharma, animal husbandry, security agencies, retail trade sectors, etc. Four hundred railway stations are in the pipeline to be handed over to private hands. The Railways’ presses are also being closed one after another. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is being under attack for decimation.
According to labour bureau, in India 25 per cent of population is between 19-29 years of age. They will experience unemployment rate of 34 per cent by 2022. In Indian conditions it is a huge number. Even the RBI had given a gloomy picture. Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) had put the unemployment rate in urban areas as 8.2 per cent. In another report India topped with 8.8 per cent unemployment rate among South Asian Nations. IIM Ahmedabad in its studies has stated that non-portability of social security is hindrance to the mobility of workers and those who move are losers of benefits.
Commercialisation of education as well as using it as a tool for the spread of parochialism, obscurantism and communalism are being carried out at an accelerated speed. The government has no concern for poor people, workers, farmers and other suffering toiling sections. Fund allocations for MGNREGA were continuously reduced in the annual budgets.
According to the AITUC resolution, the NDA government led by Narendra Modi does not believe in any dialogue with unions, does not honour bipartite or tripartite mechanisms, considers labour laws and trade unions as hindrance to growth and development. His government’s ‘For Ease of Business’ is meant only to curtail workers’ rights, which is being pursued by changing labour laws and simultaneously bringing four codes in place of 44 existing labour laws in practice. The claim is simplification, but the motive is to make it punitive for workforce and its unions and providing liberty of hire and fire to employers with no accountability towards the people who do the value addition and produce wealth, provide services. Through such codification even the existing established social security schemes are under attack.
The latest attack is reflected in the highly publicised move of fix term employment as a policy which would perpetuate the ongoing contractorisation and casualisation of workforce with no job security.
In the light of the above onslaughts, the trade unions which symbolise collectivism, democracy and togetherness of workers of all castes, communities, and religious faiths fighting for their rights of employment, job security, rights at work place and social security are already in the forefront to push the socio-economic agenda of the common man. In this context AITUC will be playing its due role in the united movements of trade unions as well as the solidarity actions in favour of farmers, students, teachers, intelligentsia, writers, artists, journalists, social activists and others.
The resolution says that AITUC also realised the need to strengthen our unions, expand to new areas, impart trade union education, raise the consciousness of leaders and activists at all levels. Special efforts are needed to bring in young cadres to such training programmes.
The government is aggressively marching ahead with anti-working class and pro-employer amendments in labour laws. Amendments to some labour laws have already been made and some others are being pushed forward. Since the government has some difficulty in getting the amendments passed in Rajya Sabha, it advised states to get the amendments passed in state assemblies where it has absolute majority. On this advice, the Rajasthan government was the first to amend the labour laws which have been approved by the President. Other BJP-ruled states are trying their best to follow suit. (IPA Service)
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