People's DemocracyThe declaration incorporating the demands and phased programme of movement unanimously adopted at the CPSTU session is given below:
The extended session of the CPSTU expresses serious concern at the continuation of the hostile policies being arbitrarily pursued by the successive central governments including privatisation through different routes such as: outright privatisation strategic disinvestments, IPO, Joint Ventures etc.; attack on job security through casualisation, contractorisation, outsourcing, ban on recruitment of regular workers, continued shunning of bilateralism and imposition of unilateralism implying curtailment of right to collective bargaining, atrocious attack on trade union rights etc.
CPSTU notes that the central government is taking new initiative in disinvesting government shares in profit making PSUs through IPO route. This has been done with Power Finance Corporation and has been in the process of being done in Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, Oil India Ltd. and lately in BSNL. After privatising high revenue earning Delhi and Mumbai Airports, the government has decided to close down Hyderabad and Bangalore Airports to facilitate a monopoly business for the new private sector airports being opened in those metro cities. Again Air India/Indian Airlines flights in number of highly revenue earning routes from Kolkata and from other metro airports are being surreptitiously closed and handed over to private Airlines operators. More than 150 Coal-blocks are being given to private parties ignoring Coal India Ltd. Disinvestment of CPSUs like HAL, BEL etc and corporatisation of Ordnance Factories are being pursued vigorously. In the name of joint venture, private sector is granted access to the investible surplus funds of CPSUs. The government has announced higher foreign investment ceilings in several sectors like civil aviation, oil refining etc.
CPSTU extends full support and solidarity to the countrywide strike struggle by the Bank employees and officers, the struggle of the Airport Authority Employees against the move of closure of Begumpet Airport at Hyderabad and similar move to close airport in Bangalore.
The CPSTU expresses great satisfaction that in pursuance with its resolve to secure effective and powerful unity of the trade union movement of regular and contract workers in the CPSUs, it is for the first time along with the regular workers contract workers have also actively participated the CPSTU session at Hyderabad. In view of the changing employment profile of the CPSUs with contract workers becoming a major segment of PSU workforce, it has become imperative for the public sector trade union movement to press for a meaningful wage revision for the contract workers as well, for which the CPSTU has already formulated its concrete demand. It is now a challenge before the entire public sector trade union movement to press through this demand in a resolute manner.
CPSTU condemns the government for deceiving the public sector employees by making the 50 per cent D A merger effective only from 1.1.2007 and resolutely reiterates the demand for merger of D A equal to 50 per cent of the basic pay with effect from 1.4.2004.
The Hyderabad session of CPSTU resolves to go for decisive action to realise the following cardinal issues of Public Sector policy perspective and currently due 7th round of wage negotiations for the workers of CPSUs.
No to disinvestment/privatisation and contractorisation/outsourcing in CPSUs.
Tenure of the wage agreement not more than five years. Relativity between Workers and Executives in pay and benefits turned widely adverse during last round of wage negotiations, must be restored.
Annual increment system as percentage of basic pay to be calculated cumulatively every year.
Wage rise for the contract workers in PSUs ensuring at least the minimum wage and benefits available to the permanent workers in all the respective PSUs.
Merger of DA equal to 50 per cent of the basic pay with effect from 1.4.2004.
Financial and policy support for revival of sick PSUs and Wage revision for the concerned employees.
Filling up of all vacancies for workman category in PSUs through fresh recruitment of regular workers.
As a step towards prolonged action programmes for realisation of above pressing demands, CPSTU unanimously decides to go for a countrywide strike by workers of all central public sector undertakings on May 7, 2008 and has adopted various programmes (see previous issue of PD for details - Ed)
CPSTU appeals to both regular and various types of contract workers in all the central public sector undertakings throughout the country and their trade unions irrespective affiliations to actively participate in the strike action and other programmes in order to achieve the demands.
