AITUC leadership condemns UPA II policies

Ludhiana, September 29, 2012: Addressing a joint press conference here today, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) leaders Amarjeet Kaur (national secretary), Nirmal Dhaliwal (state president) and Bant Singh Brar (state general secretary) have expressed concern that the UPA-II government is increasingly working in the interest of big corporate business houses and the international cartels undermining the national interest.

They said latest decisions of the government are enough indicators of the rightist shift in the policies detrimental to Indian growth and progress based on justice and equality as was directed to the national government by the Indian constitution.  The government is more inclined to respond to the demands of the international finance capital and the MNCs, they added. 

Amarjeet Kaur said that the  rising prices of essential commodities are further making the life of common man miserable, the farmers suicides continue unabated in the wake of persistent agrarian crises and indebtedness of farmers a fact of gross failure of the government on that score, the job insecurity and the job losses on the one hand and increased trends of contractorisation and outsourcing,  contractualisation and casualisation of labour is norm of the day.

“There is attack on unionisation itself and pressure on existing unions to suppress and intimidate them to contain their activities”, she said, adding the natural resources of the country are being put on sale to private companies- Indian as well as International on throw away prices.

She further said bringing in FDI  in retail trade will be big blow to more than 4 crore small traders, shopkeepers, marginal and poor farmers, other small producers of goods in home based and small scale industries etc. The government has been responsible for unprecedented rise in corruption at higher places with loss to national revenue and denial of rightful share of common people in the wealth being produced in the country.

She further deplored that accumulation of wealth in the hands of few, whereas the vast majority is suffering under acute poverty and unemployment. The latest reports have indicated that 100 top rich families own assets to the tune of 16 lakh crores of rupees whereas 70% Indians are forced to live on meager spending of Rs.16.60 paise per day. With the policies being pursued will further hasten these gaps, she believed.  

She alleged that the government continues to act in ruthless manner against the common people and the response to people’s agitations by the Prime Minister and some of his ministers are  arrogant to the core.  This situation demands of people’s response on wider scale to meet the challenge of policy framework of the government and seeking change of direction.

Further, she said in this background the trade unions have come out with their strategies to fight the attacks of government on working people. She said national convention of workers organised by 11 central trade unions and other independent federations and associations representing several sectors of economy held on 4th September at New Delhi noted with grave concern on the government’s non-responsive attitude to the plight of the working people and their agitations for a dignified life, decent working and living conditions, for meeting of the basic needs of their families. They have decided to intensify their joint agitations on the charter of demands which includes seeking check on price rise of essential commodities, end to labour law violations, for social security and pension to all workers, abolition of any ceiling on Provident Fund, gratuity and bonus, abolition of contract labour, steady regularisation of them and equal pay for equal work, no disinvestment of public sector/ govt. sector enterprises and resources, national minimum wage to be raised to not less that Rs. 10,000, universal entitlement of maternity benefit to working women etc.

She revealed that it is decided in the convention that 18th – 19th December 2012 would be observed as All India Law Violation Day and on 20th December there would be march to Parliament which will be carried forward later on through intensive campaign for organising  two days national general strike on February 20-21, 2013.

Sge saud it is to be noted that it will be for the first time in the history of independent India that whole of the trade union movement of all political colour and creed as well as independent unions will be acting in unison for success of this 2 days general strike which will be unprecedented as the economic crisis is also very grim and unprecedented.

Nirmal Dhaliwal and Bant Singh Brar said that the state government of Punjab is not following a different course as regards the economic policies in general are concerned. Rather it has been taking anti labour and anti farmer measures, they regretted.