Thousands of Workers Assemble at Talkatora Stadium to Reclaim Their Rights!

The 11th All India Conference of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions began with the open session at the Talkatora Stadium on 25 February 2025, New Delhi, with more than 5000 delegates including representatives from various Left Parties as well as unions with organized and unorganised workers in the public and private sector from across India participating in the conference.

Comrade Sucheta De, AICCTU National Vice President began the open session with remarks on the attack workers are facing in India, being driven by Company Raj to take away the rights and authority of workers. Santosh Roy, AICCTU Delhi President then emphasized that the power to change the country lies with workers alone. Industrial, agrarian and urban informal workers together create wealth and must move forward unitedly in our struggle.

Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary, CPIML addressed the session and stated that the situation of the workers today is similar to when the Constitution was being formed, with hard-won rights being eroded. The 8-hour work day is being eroded and workers are being asked to work for as long as 12 hours, without any semblance of equality, and dignity of labour. Whenever the country’s weakest ask for their rights, the wider fear is that they will ask for education, equality, and work. He stated that we are workers of the world and the world is ours. He noted that we must stand against religious hatred, casteism, and exploitation.

George Mavrakos the Honorary President, World Federation of Trade Unions, was notably denied a VISA by the Union Government to 'attend the Conference. His speech was read out to the delegates, in which he remarked on the murder of Palestinians by Israel with the support of the EU and the US. He noted that the story of the people of the world is of struggles and that we must fight against capitalist exploitation.

Several Central Trade Union Leaders addressed the Conference, including representatives from the INTUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, UTUC and SEW. Comrade Amarjeet Kaur, AITUC General Secretary, noted the diversity of the conference, and that the Conference slogan, “this land is our land” is most appropriate today when rights are being suspended. She noted the workers across the country would strike if the labour codes are implemented, and raised the issue of workers being unable to access wealth generated by them.

Noted economist Atul Sood identified major challenges to the workers’ struggle, including neoliberal policies, lack of regular work, growing informal sectors, capitalistic exploitation and the invisibilization of workers and their work.

Bezwada Wilson, Safai Karmachari Andolan, noted that this was a historic Conference. He stated that through the united struggle of workers, we can fight against exploitation and fight for secularism. He commented on the corporate loot of workers’ resources, and stated that the child of a safai karmachari must not be forced to continue in the same profession. He noted the Union Govt. swindling the tax and money of the poor to benefit a few elite, and stated that the hope for the country is the workers movement.

Comrade Rajaram Singh, President AIKM and Member of Parliament, remembered those who lost their lives in Palestine and expressed anger against Indian workers being sent to Israel. He noted that the “mazdoor kisan ekta” must be strengthened, especially as the BJP had campaigned for 400 seats to change the constitution as we know it. He noted the need for fighting the corporate takeover of all sectors, and recommitted the ability of the workers’ struggle to end exploitation.

Comrade Sudama Prasad, noted that the new labour laws will increase contractualisation but workers have the power to fight against this. Then, Comrade Shashi Yadav, Member of the Legislative Council, Secretary of the All India Scheme Workers’ Federation, spoke of the struggle of scheme workers who are denied regular employment and benefits, including ASHA, Anganwadi and Mid-day Meal Workers. She also noted that women are leading the struggle across the country and must continue to do so.

Wakeel Hassan, Silkyara Tunnel rescue miner, whose house was also demolished by the bulldozer raj Modi Govt. addressed the Conference. He spoke about different kinds of inequalities, and the need for a united fight against them.

Apoorva Gautam, representative of the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions movement addressed the Conference on the Palestinian struggle. Notably, the banner put up by AICCTU in the Conference venue in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle was pulled down without explanation today morning by the Delhi police, along with other posters against policies of communal hatred by the BJP and RSS.

Comrade Sarabjit Singh from the All India Railway Federation spoke against privatization and casualization of work in the railways. Comrade Nirmala M., Working President, All India Municipality and Sanitation Workers Federation spoke against the triple oppression of caste, patriarchy and class rampant for sanitation workers, and spoke on the need to demolish these structures.

The open session concluded with the delegates reaffirming their commitment to the workers’ struggle in India, against casteism, communalism, and to protect the Constitution. The delegate session will conclude on February 26.