People's Democracy

THE Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions condemned the Kerala government for its blatant anti-labour measures of invoking ESMA on the striking state government employees and for terminating the services of the temporary employees.

After a meeting held on February 15, presided over by Gurudas Das Gupta, general secretary of AITUC, the committee demanded immediate withdrawal of the ESMA and reinstatement of the terminated employees and asked the government to settle the demands of the employees through discussions.

The meeting was attended by M K Pandhe, CITU general secretary, A D Nagpal (HMS), Swapan Mukherjee (AICCTU), Ashutosh Banarjee (UTUC -LS), Shyam Charan Gour (TUCC) and Sunil Sen Gupta (UTUC).

Congratulating the employees for the successful united strike, it extended full support to the trade unions in Kerala for their decision to observe one day solidarity strike.

The committee congratulated the Madhya Pradesh government employees for their successful two-day strike. It also welcomed the decision of the defence employees to launch an united 48-hour strike against 100 per cent private participation in defence industry and 26 per cent FDI and against corporatisation of Ordinance factories.

The committee extended full support to the decision of the central government employees to observe National Mobilisation Day on February 26 against downsizing, VRS and privatisation spree of the government. It also supported the All India State Government Federation’s decision to observe National Protest Day on March 5 followed by day long countrywide dharna on April 23.

Taking serious note of the government’s ongoing steps towards disinvestment and dismantling of even the giant sectors in all industries, the committee appealed to all trade unions to step up united struggles and prepare for countrywide strike action.

It welcomed the growing unity among all the trade unions including INTUC and BMS and extended full support to the call of the Central Trade Unions to observe March 14 as the All India Protest Day, against the reforms. It further welcomed the decision of the public sector trade unions to hold a convention at Delhi on March 5, followed by mass dharna on March 6.