AICCTU Mass Convention in Lucknow
NORTH Eastern Railway Workers Union and the AICCTU Lucknow unit organized a mass convention in Lucknow on 15 September 2019 against privatization, corporatization, New Pension Scheme and amendments to Labour Laws. The main speaker, Rail Mazdoor leader and Front against New Pension Scheme in Railways (FANPSR) National President Amrik Singh said that the Modi government wants to hand over all public sector units like railways, banks, insurance and oil to corporate houses. Corporatization and privatization of the public sector is a betrayal of the country because it is the hard-earned money of the common people.
He pointed out that the railways, once the country’s largest employment generator, now employs only 11 lakh people and the workers are being made to work 1 ½ times more in order to bear the increased work load. The Modi government and the BJP are creating hatred and divisiveness in all sections of society including workers. He said that we must fight strong and united to defeat these anti-people, anti-worker policies.
The convention was also addressed by Indian Railway Employees Federation National President Manoj Pandey and AICCTU leader Vijay Vidrohi who said that the biggest challenge in front of the working class is to safeguard their existence and their rights against the vicious attack on democracy and the Constitution by the BJP government. Presiding over the convention, AICCTU National Vice President Premlata Pandey said that the Modi-Yogi governments talk about saving and educating girls, but the reality is that they are shielding rapist MLAs and MPs, the latest in a long series being Swami Chinmayanand who is not being arrested despite an FIR and ample evidence. The BJP-ruled states pay the least honorariums to women workers like ASHAs and Anganwadi workers. She said that women must play a strong role in the struggle against corporatization and privatization.
The convention was addressed by leaders from many other workers’ organizations and unions including FANPSR, Banaras Diesel Rail factory, NER Workers Union, Rail Coach Factory Sangharsh Samiti, NR Workers Union, ECR Employees Union, UP Construction Workers Union, Lucknow PGI Nursing Union, UP Chowkidar Union, IFCO Contract Workers Association, Katai Mill Mazdoor Morcha, AISA and others. A workers’ memorandum and political resolution proposed by railway workers’ leader Anil Kumar were passed unanimously by the convention. The convention was conducted by IERF National Vice President Kamal Usri.
