Working Class

80,000 workers of the Ordnance Factories who had been on a one-month strike since 20 August 2019 called off their strike on the 6th day after the BJP government bowed under pressure and withdrew the decision of corporatization and privatisation of the Ordnance Factories. Thus the workers forced the government, drunk with power based on brute majority in Parliamentarian, to surrender.

AICCTU alongwith other central trade union organizations and federations participated in nation wide protests against Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill and the Code on Wages Bill. The protests were jointly called by all central trade unions except RSS affiliated BMS, which chose to side with the government against the workers. Protest actions in Delhi were organized in Parliament Street.

(Text of appeal issued by RCF Employees Union Kapurthala to fellow rail workers)

THE DTC Workers Unity Centre (affiliated to AICCTU) organised a protest on 21 May 2019 in front of the Delhi Transport Corporation Headquarters at IP Estate, Delhi and submitted a memorandum to the DTC management.

THE 2nd conference of the Indian Railways Employees Federation (IREF) concluded successfully in Allahabad. The conference unanimously decided to affiliate IREF with AICCTU. It was also decided during the conference to campaign against new central government on rail workers issues like NPS, contractualisation, and privatization. Zonal level mass struggles were planned that may culminate in a massive rally in Delhi. The zonal struggles and campaign may be preceded by a workshop. A team of leaders was formed to take up the New Pension Scheme issue.

THE All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) released a Workers’ Charter on April 2, 2019 in Delhi. This includes a report on violations of labour laws in industrial areas of Delhi along with a 13 point charter of demands of the workers.

The Charter was released in a Press Conference at IWPC and was addressed by Santosh Roy, President,  AICCTU Delhi, Advocate Surya Prakash, Shweta Raj, Secretary AICCTU Delhi. The Press Conference was also attended by trade union leaders from different industrial areas.

SOME 300 permanent workers from Pricol, the automotive components manufacturer based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, ended their 100-day strike after the management agreed to some of their demands, as instructed by the State Labour Department. But their victory was short-lived as after joining back, over 300 of them were handed transfer orders.

CENTRE of Steel Workers (AICCTU) organised a one-day dharna on 2 February 2019 at the Equipment Chowk in Sector-1, Bhilai to raise burning issues facing steel workers and contract workers. The speakers sharply criticised the anti-worker policies of the Central and State governments and the Managements, and extended full support to the rightful demands of the steel workers and contract workers. They said that the BJP government’s last Budget is nothing but a packet of Jumlas to divert attention from their failures.

ALL 40 people mining coal inside a mine died in an accident which occurred on 23 January 2019 during the illegal mining being done near the Kapasara Colliery outsourcing in the ECL Mugma Area at Nirsa Thana in Dhanbad District. The accident occurred at 5.30 am when the ‘chaal’ caved in suddenly on a large scale. The District administration reached the site after 4 hours.

MANGALORE unit of All India Port Workers Federation (AIPWF) organised a convention remembering first year of the historic first ever strike of shipping company workers engaged in New Mangalore Port Trust on 26 Jan. 2019.