People's Democracy

LIC Working Women Hold 3RD State Level Convention

MORE than 700 working women participated in the third Tamilnadu state-level LIC working women convention, held at Salem on October 2, 2004. These women, coming from the eight LIC divisions in Tamilnadu, made the convention a grand success with their purposeful participation and enthusiastic spirit.

A cultural programme organised by the women’s sub-committee of the Insurance Corporation Employees Union (ICEU) Salem division, affiliated to the AIIEA, involved women comrades and employee’s children and it provided a perfect precursor to the convention. Thirty-five women comrades and 12 children rendered a variety of songs, dramas, dance, fancy dress etc…. The theme and spirit behind the events performed in the cultural programme displayed the rich social awareness in the comrades. The events depicted the ever-continuing malaise against women in the society. The events also portrayed the role of LIC as against the private insurance companies. The programme received wide appreciation of all participants.

The convention commenced with welcome address by Dr Chitra Sampath, chairperson of the reception committee while CPI(M) MLA from Dindigul, Balabarathi, inaugurated the convention. In her inaugural address, she dwelt upon the impact of LPG policies in general and against women in particular, the state of women in the society, and the manner in which the mainstream media projects the case of women. She exhorted LIC working women to come forward with conviction to play a larger role in the struggle for securing just and equal rights to women.

M Girija, joint convenor, LIC working women’s co-ordination committee, south zone, placed the report for discussion. Eight comrades representing the LIC divisions in Tamilnadu state participated in the debate. Among the issues focussed during the debate included the unequal status of women in society, the loss inflicted on the Hindutva forces in the recent elections thus halting the spread of regressive ideology against women, the need to further expand the campaign against such forces, the benefits and rights for women secured in the LIC through struggles, the problems faced by women employees in the wake of modernisation of branches due to illogical lay-out specifications and seating arrangements, and the need for women employees to take more active part in the organisation. R D Dharanipathy, general secretary, SZIEF, summed up the debate.

Twelve resolutions were passed by the convention. They issues included demanding 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament and legislative assemblies, demanding crèche facilities in LIC offices, demanding working women’s hostel in all major centres, insisting new recruitment for women including in Class IV cadre, demanding wage revision, against FDI hike in insurance, abolition of service tax on insurance premiums, demanding steps to end women from working in night hours, demanding welfare boards for unorganised workers, demanding urgent steps to end female infanticide, demanding collective bargaining right and recognition of AIIEA.

D A Unnamalai, joint convenor, ICEU women’s sub-committee, Salem division, proposed vote of thanks.

SPECIAL PROGRAMME

A special programme was organised in co-ordination with Tamilnadu Science Forum, Salem chapter, to entertain and engage the children of the women comrade attending the convention. More than 130 children actively took part in the programme where the children were treated to a variety of programmes – magic show, scientific games, songs, Origami etc. This special arrangement was highly appreciated by the women comrades as they were free to participate in the convention with rapt attention while their children were also engrossed in a purposeful programme. 

The third state level convention, by all means, was a grand success. The large mobilisation, the level of debate, the active and committed participation in the convention, the wide publicity the convention received, all together made the convention yet another organisational milestone.

The state convention held at Salem generated enormous enthusiasm among the comrades in the division. The women comrades in particular showed excellent organising skill and commitment to organise this state level convention.