National Convention of Workers
15th July, 2010, Mavlankar Hall,New Delhi
Declaration
Representatives of Central Trade Unions and Workers and Employees Federations having assembled in the 2nd National Convention of the Workers on the 15th July, 2010, reviewed the Joint action programme over five commonly agreed demands as decided in the first historic Convention of Workers on 14th September, 2009. This Convention considering the review of joint actions. ALL INDIA PROTEST DAY on 28th October, 2009, Massive Dharna on 16th December, 2009 and Satyagraha/ Jail Bharo on 5th March,2010- 10 lakh workers participated and also considering the situation arising thereafter adopts the following DECLARATION.
Despite the trade unions demanding effective steps to curb price rise, particularly food price inflation , food prices escalating as high as 17 percent, inflation rising to double-digit, government continued to remain totally unresponsive to mitigate the deep sufferings of the working people;
Despite the trade unions expressing deep concern at the uninterrupted violation of labour laws and trade union rights, situation becoming grim and repressive every days.
Despite trade unions protesting against job loss, underpayment, unbearable living condition, increasing working hours , rampant contractorisation , casualisation and outsourcing, nothing is being done to prevent the declining living condition and inhuman exploitation of working masses;
Despite the trade unions opposing the disinvestment in the profit making public sector, the latest disinvestment being pushed through in Coal India Ltd., BSNL, SAIL, NLC, Hindustan Copper, NDMC etc., the pernicious policy of reckless disinvestment is continuing with impunity;
Despite the trade unions earnestly asking for the setting up of a massive welfare fund for universal comprehensive social security coverage for the unorganized sector workers without any restriction, the fund allocation remained nominal and restrictive provisions continued.
The Convention notes with concern, not only protest of the trade unions is being ignored , the policy that accentuates increase in the price of foodgrains is being constantly bulldozed , the latest is the deregulation of petroleum pricing linking it with the international market leading to hefty increase in the price of kerosene, cooking gas, diesel, and petrol;
The Convention reiterates reiterates the unanimously formulated demands once again as under:
● Price rise of essential commodities to be contained through appropriate corrective and distributive measures like universal PDS and containing speculation in commodity market.
● Concrete proactive measures to be taken for linkage of employment protection in the recession stricken sectors with the stimulate package being offered to the concerned entrepreneurs and for augmenting public investment in infrastructure.
● Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws.
● Steps to be taken for removal of all restrictive provisions based on poverty line in respect of eligibility of converge of the schemes under the Unorganized Workers Social Security Act 2008 and creation of National Fund for the Unorganized Sector to provide for a National Floor Level Social Security to all unorganized Sector to provide for a National Floor Level Social Security to all unorganized workers including the contract/casual workers in line with the recommendation of National Commission on Enterprises in Unorganized Sector and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour.
● Disinvestment of shares of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) is not resorted to for meeting budgetary deficit and instead their growing reserve and surplus is used for expansion and modernization purpose and also for revival of sick Public Sector Undertakings.
This National Convention of Workers, while exercising its constitutional and democratic right seeks to further its legitimate protest and call for immediate correction of the patently wrong policies that dangerously hurt the interest of the working people and the society as a whole, and to give vent to the feeling of the growing indignation of the working people.
The Convention therefore resolves to call for an All India General Strike on 7th September, 2010.
The Convention Calls upon the entire working people of the country, irrespective of affiliations to make the all in united call for countrywide general strike a total success. If the Govt. does not concede the demands the trade unions will intensify the struggle further and prepare for a March to Parliament.
INTUC- AITUC- HMS -CITU
AIUTUC -TUCC- AICCTU -UTUC- LPF
SOURCE;NFPE
