Trade unions plan campaign against UPA Government
Staff Reporter
"Government is reneging on promises given in Common Minimum Programme"
KOCHI: CITU president M. K. Pandhe on Monday said that the central trade unions were planning to launch a joint agitation against the "anti-labour policies" of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government.
The Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions will meet in the first week of February in New Delhi to chalk out a campaign plan, Mr. Pandhe said at a press conference here. The 34-lakh strong Central Government employees have already decided to launch an indefinite strike from March 1.
Mr. Pandhe alleged that the UPA Government had reneged on all promises given to the working classes in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). None of the assurances given in the CMP was being implemented in its true spirit, he said.
The UPA Government had gone back on its promise on many key issues, including labour laws, privatisation of profit-making public sector units, the Bill regarding agricultural workers and many other issues, said Mr. Pandhe.
He said the Government had tried to introduce a Bill concerning small and medium industries in Parliament without discussing it with the trade unions, even though the CMP had stated that no labour legislation would be implemented without consulting the trade unions. The unions were consulted only after the Members of Parliament insisted that they would not discuss the bill unless it was debated with trade unions first. The Bill seeks to replace inspection by labour officials at small and medium industries with self-certification.
Mr. Pandhe said the Government seemed to believe that the problems in the small-scale sector were caused by trade unions, and not by the Government's policies. The earlier system of giving preferential credit to small industries had also been withdrawn, he said.
Though the Government had promised not to implement the `hire and fire' policy, two Bills prepared by the Government giving power to employer to fire any worker without giving any reason and for engaging contract labour in many more sectors, in effect, encouraged the policy, Mr. Pandhe said.
He alleged that the Government had reneged on its promise not to privatise profit-making public sector undertakings, through its decision to privatise the Delhi and Mumbai airports. If these two airports were taken out of the Airport Authority of India (AAI)'s control, the authority would inevitably become a sick unit, as more than 75 per cent of its income was generated by these two airports.
Another major issue was the slashing of the Employees Provident Fund interest rate to 8.5 per cent. He said Provident Fund was not a bank deposit, but a social security measure. While all the trade unions, including the BMS, were united in opposing the Government stand on PF interest issue, the INTUC alone supported the Government decision.
(The Hindu-31/01/06, Monday)
Staff Reporter
"Government is reneging on promises given in Common Minimum Programme"
KOCHI: CITU president M. K. Pandhe on Monday said that the central trade unions were planning to launch a joint agitation against the "anti-labour policies" of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government.
The Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions will meet in the first week of February in New Delhi to chalk out a campaign plan, Mr. Pandhe said at a press conference here. The 34-lakh strong Central Government employees have already decided to launch an indefinite strike from March 1.
Mr. Pandhe alleged that the UPA Government had reneged on all promises given to the working classes in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). None of the assurances given in the CMP was being implemented in its true spirit, he said.
The UPA Government had gone back on its promise on many key issues, including labour laws, privatisation of profit-making public sector units, the Bill regarding agricultural workers and many other issues, said Mr. Pandhe.
He said the Government had tried to introduce a Bill concerning small and medium industries in Parliament without discussing it with the trade unions, even though the CMP had stated that no labour legislation would be implemented without consulting the trade unions. The unions were consulted only after the Members of Parliament insisted that they would not discuss the bill unless it was debated with trade unions first. The Bill seeks to replace inspection by labour officials at small and medium industries with self-certification.
Mr. Pandhe said the Government seemed to believe that the problems in the small-scale sector were caused by trade unions, and not by the Government's policies. The earlier system of giving preferential credit to small industries had also been withdrawn, he said.
Though the Government had promised not to implement the `hire and fire' policy, two Bills prepared by the Government giving power to employer to fire any worker without giving any reason and for engaging contract labour in many more sectors, in effect, encouraged the policy, Mr. Pandhe said.
He alleged that the Government had reneged on its promise not to privatise profit-making public sector undertakings, through its decision to privatise the Delhi and Mumbai airports. If these two airports were taken out of the Airport Authority of India (AAI)'s control, the authority would inevitably become a sick unit, as more than 75 per cent of its income was generated by these two airports.
Another major issue was the slashing of the Employees Provident Fund interest rate to 8.5 per cent. He said Provident Fund was not a bank deposit, but a social security measure. While all the trade unions, including the BMS, were united in opposing the Government stand on PF interest issue, the INTUC alone supported the Government decision.
(The Hindu-31/01/06, Monday)
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