People's Democracy

CITU For Movement In The Iron & Steel Industry

THE state council of Bengal CITU, meeting at the Shramik Bhavan on November 23 has resolved to build up a sustained movement in those newly-set up iron and steel units where labour laws are flouted with impunity. A state-level convention would be organised at Barjora in Bankura on December 22 where CITU activists working in the iron and steel industry would meet to discuss the course and form of the movement.

The 32nd state council meeting of the Bengal CITU was presided over by the Bengal CITU president Shyamal Chakraborty.  General secretary of Bengal CITU Kali Ghosh presented the secretarial report.

Some weeks back the CITU had submitted a memorandum before Mohd Amin, the labour minister of the Bengal Left Front government.  In the memorandum, it has been clearly stated how the newly set up sponge iron and ferro iron industries in Purulia, Bankura, and Durgapur had been persistently flouting labour laws and depriving the workers of their legitimate dues.

The management would in very many instances not allow the workers to set up TU’s.  No lists of workers, regular or otherwise are kept. Minimum wages act is ignored. Workers are mistreated and put to sweating away for more than 12 hours a day and without overtime.

The CITU council also resolved to organise campaign-movement all over Bengal on the demands of the workers in the unorganised sector. The Bengal CITU has also decided to join the mass rally before the parliament on December 8 on the issue, as already announced from the all-India CITU convention at Ferozabad.

As a run up to that programme, demand day would be observed throughout Bengal and badges containing the demands would be worn by workers.  A day of protest would be observed by CITU statewide to protest against the anti-people agenda of the WTO ministerial meeting being held at Hong Kong on December 13.

(B P)