Working Class

AICCTU, Delhi unit has called for immediate measures from the Government of NCT of Delhi including the Office of the LG and Chief Minister to protect the workers amidst the heat wave and rising incidents of factory fires in Delhi. In a recent incident, three workers were killed after a massive fire in Delhi’s Narela industrial area on June 8. According to reports, the workers were employed in a cramped-up food processing unit where they were forced to work in a 12-hour shift without any protection or safety measures.

The All India Central Council of Trade Unions has strongly condemned the illegal retrenchment of 61 sanitation workers by the DRDO in Bangalore. These workers who have been serving since 10-15 years were denied work by the central government agency from 23 March 2024.

On 8th May, 2024, 55 workers in Bengaluru who were working as ward attenders in Victoria Hospital (BMCRI) were terminated for the sole reason that they had demanded payment of wages of 2 months, which was due to them. The workers were on a protest from 8th May onwards seeking that they be immediately taken back to work. On 10th May, the workers were detained by the police for having demanded their work, which was their legitimate rights. However, the workers refused to be defeated and continued their protest.

Thousands of workers of Ranchi based Public Sector Undertaking, Heavy Engineering Corporation Limited (HEC) played a vital role in India’s Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L-1 missions, and are today on the streets, with many forced to sell tea and newspapers for their livelihood.

Local committee conference of Bishnupur AICCTU was held on 24th September at Bishnupur Municipal Dormitory. The stage was named after Sushila Handi (sanitation workers leader of Bishnupur) and Seema Chakraborty (founder of women’s organisation in Bishnupur). The conference paid homage to the migrant workers killed in an accident in Mizoram and paid tribute to all martyrs and departed comrades.

The All India Municipal Workers Federation (affiliated to AICCTU) embarked on a country-wide resistance and demand day on September 12, calling for necessary steps to ensure the rights and dignity of lakhs of municipal workers across the country.

The workers involved in collection and transportation of garbage went on a five-day strike, between March 20th and March 24th, 2023, in various districts across Karnataka. These workers, are employed as garbage vehicle drivers and loaders in over 330 urban local bodies across the state, were demanding that the State Government implement the written assurance made by the Chief Minister to abolish the exploitative and illegal contract system, and that the workers be brought under the direct payment system of the local authorities.

The AICCTU affiliated unions of BBMP Powrakarmikara Sangha, Karnataka Pragatipara Powrakarmikara Sangha and Karnataka Pragatipara Tyajya Sagisuva Vahana Chalakara mattu Sahayakara Sangha have demanded that the special recruitment rules for safai karamcharis issued by the State Government in November 2022 must be withdrawn forthwith.

All India Construction Workers Federation (AICWF) held its first ever all India workshop at Ranchi on 9–10 Nov 2022 in the backdrop of the Modi led BJP government’s attacks on the working class, including Labour Codes, dismantling of welfare boards and by taking stock of its experience since its inception.

The Bellary Zilla Gani Karmikara Sangha, affiliated to the AICCTU undertook a Padyatra of 70 kms over 3 days from Sandur to Ballari from 11th to 13th October demanding compensation for the mine workers who had lost their employment when the mines were closed in 2011. Their struggle of over a decade is for their rightful share. The Padyatra was inaugurated by Social Activist Medha Patkar and social activist and Kannada actor, Chetan Ahimsa.