The 12 common demands of the working class for the General Strike on 2nd

September 2015 and their importance to BSNL Employees

Modi Government is hell bent on amending several labour laws in order to make the
workers and employees bonded labor. It is resorting to large scale disinvestment of
Public Sector Undertakings, allowing private sector in Coal mines, railways etc. in a
big way. It is allowing FDI in large scale in several strategic sectors including
Railway, Defense, Insurance and pension. Its policies are threatening the security of
the EPF and Pension of the employees and workers. It issued ordinance 3 times for
handing over the lands of the peasants, without their consent, to the Indian and
foreign corporates and due to severe opposition, it is now trying to handover this
job to the States. It is campaigning that the Foreign and Indian investors will invest
only if such reforms (anti people measures) are carried out in a big way and
according to it, this is the only path for developing the country! On the one hand, it
is showering lakhs of crores of rupees tax concessions on the Indian and foreign big
capitalists and on the other hand, it is imposing severe cuts in budget allotments for
the welfare of the people. It is development at the cost of the people. But how any
country can develop by taking away the rights and benefits of its working class and
its peasants?
Modi Government came to power assuring the people to bring back the humongous
amounts of black money stashed in foreign countries and use it for the benefit of
the people. But it is not doing anything on this. The SIT appointed by the Supreme
Court recommended to stop the flow of P-Notes (Participatory Notes-money invested
in stock market without revealing the name of the owner) into our stock market, the
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has told that the Government was in no hurry to do
this! BJP came to power campaigning against the corruption of UPA and assuring the
people that their Government would be corruption free. But one year after their
coming to power, several severe charges of irregularities and corruption have come
out against their ministers at the center and in states. To divert the attention of the
people from such misrule, efforts are being made to polarize the people on religion
basis, provoking communalism.
Unless this severe attack is resisted, the working class and the people will lose all
their existing rights and benefits and will face dark future.
Hence all the Central Trade Unions, All India Federations of Central Government
employees, State Government employees, railways, banks, insurance, telecom and
industrial and service sectors have organized the National Convention of Workers at
Delhi on 26.5.2015 decided to fight against these policies and given the call for
nationwide general strike on 2.9.2015 by workers and employees in all sectors. The
strike call was given on 12 demands which are applicable to all sections of the
employees and workers.
These 12 demands and their relevance to BSNL employees are detailed below:

1.Withdraw the amendments/proposed amendments to the labor laws

aimed at curtailing the rights of the workers and enslaving them.

a)
Code on industrial relations proposed for making it impossible to go
on strike and to form a trade union, and for empowering the
managements to retrench the workers as per their will and pleasure, thus
enslaving the workers and employees:
Modi Government has proposed to combine the Industrial Disputes Act, The Trade
Unions Act and the Standing Orders into a single Code on Industrial Relations.
As per this code, instead of the present 14/21 days, six weeks notice has to be
given for strike. The conciliation by labour department should be deemed as started
on serving the wstrike notice, even if the labour commissioner has not yet called for
holding such conciliation. Strike should start from a date one week after the
declaration of completion of conciliation by the labour commissioner. If the strike
takes place before this, it will be illegal and the participant can be imposed Rs
20,000 to Rs 50,000 fine or one month jail. The organizers of such strike can be sent
to jail. Therefore strike cannot take place unless and until the labor commissioner
declares failure of his conciliation. If the labor commissioner goes on prolonging the
conciliation even though it is of no use, strike cannot take place. Thus this is nothing
but making strikes impossible.
As per this code, the registrar can agree for registering a trade union or reject it. No
outsider should be an Office bearer in a trade union in organized sector (at present
one third can be outsiders) and only two are allowed in unorganized sector. This will
make the formation of a new trade union very difficult.
The code proposes to empower managements to retrench the workers in the
establishments having less than 300 workers, without taking permission of the
Government. It further says that whether the permission of the Government is
required to close or retrench the workers in factories having more than 300 workers
has to be decided by the concerned state governments. State Governments are
competing with each other in removing the rights of the workers in the name of
facilitating investments and hence such a provision will result in empowering
managements to retrench workers without government permission even in
factories/establishments with more than 300 workers.
If this code is enacted by the Parliament, the workers including BSNL employees,
will lose all their right to strike and right to job protection and right to form trade
union and will become bonded laborers.

(a) Code on Wages proposed for abolishing the supervising machinery for
implementing the payment of wages act, for allowing different wages for
same work and for allowing discrimination in promotions:
A code on wages is proposed by combining the Payment of Wages Act, Minimum
Wage Act, Bonus Act and the Equal Remuneration Act. It proposes to abolish the
system of Inspectors inspecting payment of wages by making such inspection not
compulsory. It allows all inequalities in wages for the same work except the

inequality based on gender and allows discrimination in promotions. If such a c ode

is enacted by the parliament, there will be no machinery for ensuring proper and
timely payment of wages and there will be different wages for the same work in the
same establishment including BSNL. It will lead to severe discrimination in
appointments and promotions.
(b) Proposed
Employment:

changes

in

Standing

Orders

to

allow

Fixed

Term

It is proposed to change the rules under the Standing Orders to allow employment
for a fixed term, 6 months, one year etc. They can be terminated without any notice
on the expiry of the term. Since their tenure is fixed, they will always be facing job
insecurity and will not be in a position to fight for their rights. It will further divide
the workers into permanent employees, contract workers, fixed term workers etc.
making the unity of workers difficult. It will enable the managements to appoint the
workers based on fixed term, thereby reducing permanent employment. It is to be
noted that the Deloitte Consultant has recommended for off role employment in
BSNL, which means they will not be in the rolls of BSNL, but will work in BSNL!

(c)

One part of the attack on EPF-Diversion of EPF funds to stock market:

Modi Government has decided to invest EPF funds in stock market. Due to the
pressure of the Government, the representatives of the Labour Ministry in the EPF
Board have agreed along with the representatives of the managements for diverting
a part of the EPF funds for investment in stock market. Since only the
representatives of the Trade Unions in the EPF Board opposed it, this was approved
as a majority decision in the Board. The total fund available with EPFO (Employees
Provident Fund Organisation) is Rs 8, 25,000 crore. In this, it was decided to invest
Rs 5000 crore in this financial year 2015-16 and to gradually increase it. There will
be tremendous pressure from the international finance to go for large scale
investment of EPF funds in stock market. The fund invested in stock market is
nothing but a fund invested in gambling and there will be no guarantee for its
security. That is why, so far, the EPF funds are invested in the Government
securities and hence they were secure. But now that Modi Government started
investing EPF in stock market, the EPF of employees including the EPF of BSNL
recruitees, and Casual mazdoors, TSMs and contract workers will face insecurity.
(d) Another part of the attack on EPF-Diverting employees from the
secure EPF to the insecure New Pension Scheme:
The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has proposed in the budget 2015-16 for providing
an option to the employees to exit from the EPF and opt for the new contributory
pension scheme under the PFRDA Act (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
Authority Act) instead of EPF. Accordingly, the Government has already proposed an
amendment in the EPF Act. The funds to which the employee pays for pension
contribution in this New Pension Scheme under PFRDA are more insecure than the
EPF. Thus a severe attack is started on EPF security by the Modi Government. This
threat is equally applicable to the EPF of BSNL recruited employees and TSM/Casual

Mazdoor/Contract worker in BSNL. The reason for this diversion of EPF funds to
stock markets and pension funds is the decision of the Modi Government for
allowing 49% FDI in pension sector and the consequent efforts to mobilize funds for
the foreign and Indian pension fund companies. Due to this, the threat to EPF and
pension is increasing.
(e) Attack on ESI-Proposed Diversion of employees
beneficial ESI to the less beneficial health Insurance:

from

the

The Government also proposed an amendment to ESI Act to allow employees to opt
for health insurance instead of ESI. Under ESI, treatment is available to the
employee and his family. But in the case of health insurance, the insurance is
available to the insurer only, and only to the extent of the insured amount. The
intention is to help the foreign and Indian private insurance companies since Modi
Government allowed 49% FDI limit in insurance. Thus the ESI facility available to
most of the employees including the Casual Mazdoor and contract workers in BSNL
is under threat.
(f)

Modi Government already amended two labour laws against workers:

Besides the above proposed changes for enslaving the working class, the Modi
Government, with the help of the Congress and some non-left parties, has already
amended two labour laws against the workers.
It amended the Apprentices Act enabling the managements to recruit more number
of apprentices so that instead of regular workers or contract workers, the work can
be got done by the Apprentices with less pay. It amended the Labour
laws(Submission of Returns and Maintenance of Registers) Act exempting the
managements of the establishments with less than 40 number of workers from
submitting returns and maintenance of registers regarding implementation of 16
labour laws. This is nothing but making it easy for the managements of 72% of the
factories in the country to violate labour laws.

(g) Rajasthan Government took the lead and several state government
following :
In Rajasthan, the Vasundhara Raje (BJP) Government took the lead in amending
labour laws against the workers. The Modi Government at the Centre advised the
State Governments to follow this Rajasthan model in amending labour laws against
the workers. Accordingly, the Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Andhrapradesh State
Governments have already amended labour laws against the workers.
Since the enacted/proposed amendments are aimed at enslaving the working class
and attacking the security of EPF, ESI and pension, it is demanded to withdraw all
such amendments to the labor laws.

2. Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or

exemption and stringent
punishment for violation of labour laws
After the initiation of the LPG policies by the P.V.Narasimharao Government in 1991,
the labour department is gradually shirking away from its responsibility for
implementation of factories. The labour inspectors reduced their inspections of the
factories. The inspections rate was 75.64% in 1991 and it fell down to a mere
17.88% in 2008. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on labour has reported that
due to lack of sufficient number of staff, the Labour Department was unable to
properly enforce the implementation of labour laws by the managements. But
neither the previous UPA Government nor the present NDA Government cared for
this. As a result, the violation of labour laws by the managements has become
rampant.
At present, at least 60% of the workers in the organized sector are deprived of
minimum wages, EPF, ESI and other such benefits. In BSNL, in several cases, the
TSM, Contract workers and casual labour were denied the benefits that should be
available to them as per the labour laws. In several industrial units, the workers are
compelled to work for 10 or 12 hours a day without any OTA. Several industrial units
are being closed by the managements illegally. But the Centraal and State
Governments are not caring for such violations and helping the managements.
Due to this severe violation of labour laws and the consequent deprivation of the
wages and other benefits of the workers, the share of the wages in the net value
added in production in the manufacturing sector has declined from 30.28% in 198182 to 12.16% in 2010-11. During the same period, the share of the profit of the
owners has increased from 20% to 50%. It is also to be noted that during this same
period, the labour productivity has increased 5 fold.
The entire working class is demanding that the Governments should strictly enforce
the implementation of labour laws for ensuring their benefits to the workers and
should impose stringent punishments on the managements for violating labour
laws.

3. Stop disinvestment and privatization in Central/State PSUs

The disinvestment of PSUs was started in 1991 by P.V.Narasimharao Government
as part of the LPG policies. But no Government has resorted to such a large scale
disinvestment like the present Modi Government, as detailed below:
Amount obtained by disinvestment of PSUs, by various Governments
1991-92 to 1997-98 (Congress, UF) ------Rs 11242.50 crores
1998-99 to 2003-04(Vajpayee Government)----Rs 33655.59 crores
2004-05 to 2008-09 (UPA-1 with Left Parties support)----Rs 8515.94 crores
2009-10 to 2013-14 (UPA-2 without Left Support)---Rs 99,367.93 crores.

2014-15(First year of Modi Government)---Rs 24328.93 crores.

The above facts reveal that disinvestment is almost stopped when the Left Parties
were having considerable strength in the Parliament and the survival of the
Government was depending on their support.

In 2014-15 itself, in its first year, Modi Government obtained a huge amount of Rs
24328.93 crores. It is the largest amount got in a single year by any Government by
disinvestment of PSUs. This amount was got by selling the shares in the two
Maharatna PSUsCoal India and SAIL.
In this financial year 2015-16, the Modi Government has fixed a huge disinvestment
target of Rs 69,500 crores. For this, it already approved selling of 5% to 15% shares
in the PSUs OIL, CCIL, NMDC, MMTC, ITDC, NTPC, EIL, BEL, NALCO, HCL (Hindustan
Copper Limited), in addition to the shares sold earlier in these PSUs. Among these
PSUs, NTPC is Maharatna and BEL, OIL, NMDC, NALCO, EIL and CCIL are Navaratna
PSUs. By thus selling 5 or 10% shares every year, the PSUs will be gradually
privatized.

Not only this. The Modi Government is planning to resort to strategic sale of PSUs
as done by the earlier Vajpayee Government. It is to be noted that the Vajpayee
Government has privatized BALCO, Hindustan Zinc, and Two Centaur Hotels under
Hotel Corporation of India, 18 Hotels under ITDC, Jessop, Lagan Jute Machinery,
Maruti Suzuki, Modern Food Industries, VSNL, HTL, CMC, and Paradeep Phosphates
by such strategic sale. In this strategic sale, the management of the PSU will be
handed over to the private Company that will purchase a minority or majority stake
in it and thus it will be a direct privatization.

Modi Government has no intention of reviving BSNL from losses. Its intention is to
divide it and sell it. It has already approved the separation of the towers from BSNL
to form a subsidiary tower company. The intention is to allow a private partner in
the tower company.

Modi Government has amended the Coal Mines Act with the support of the Congress
for allowing private companies in commercial coal mines. The Bibek Debroy
Committee appointed by the Modi Government has recommended for allowing
private companies in constructing railway tracks and in running the trains etc. Thus
it is resorting to privatization in large scale.

Why this large scale disinvestment of PSUs? It is for filling up the budget deficit that
is arising every year due to the huge annual concession of more than Rs 5 lakh
crore rupees to the Corporates. Thus selling PSU shares is due to the unwarranted
and unjustified concessions given to the Corporates. Public property is thus being
sold by the Modi Government for the profit of the Corporates.
The working class is demanding to stop disinvestment and privatization of PSUs and
to revive the loss making/sick PSUs like BSNL, ITI, and MTNL etc.

4. Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident

fund; increase the quantum of gratuity

(a) Bonus Act: As per the Bonus Act, the workers drawing more than Rs 10,000/wage (pay+DA) are not eligible for bonus (In BSNL, when there was profit, all were
paid bonus since it was under a productivity linked incentive scheme). The
calculation of bonus under bonus act has imposed a ceiling of Rs 3500/- per month
as wage for calculation. There is another ceiling limit of 20% of the annual wage as
the maximum limit on bonus payment even if the Company is getting adequate
profit. The working class has been demanding to remove all these 3 ceiling limits on
bonus payment. In the 46th Indian Labour Conference held on 20,21 July 2015, all
the trade unions have demanded to grant bonus even in loss making PSUs(like
BSNl) and in private companies when the performance standard is fulfilled.
(b) EPF Act: EPF Act is applicable to BSNL recruitees and to TSM, Casual Mazdoor
and Contract workers in BSNL. Under EPF Act, the employee has to contribute 12%
of his actual wage (pay + DA), even if the wage exceeds Rs 15,000/- ceiling limit.
But the management has to compulsorily contribute 13.61% to the employees EPF
Account calculating it on the actual wage of the employee, subject to a ceiling limit
of Rs 15,000/- wage. If the employees wage is more than Rs 15,000/- it is up to the
management to calculate its contribution on the portion of the wage exceeding the
Rs 15,000/- ceiling. Thus, if the wage of an employee is Rs 25,000/-, the
management has to compulsorily contribute its share calculating it on the wage
ceiling limit of Rs 15,000/-. If the management wants, it can calculate its
contribution on the remaining Rs 10,000/- wage also.

In BSNL as well as in several PSUs, the managements are calculating their EPF
contribution based on the actual wage of the employee, without limiting it to the Rs
15,000/- ceiling. But the Supreme Court has clarified that the management can limit
its contribution calculation to the ceiling limit of Rs 15000/- wage in case of financial
difficulties to the Company. Therefore this Rs 15000/- wage ceiling limit for
calculation of the managements contribution to EPF will be a threat to BSNL
employees also.
The working class is demanding to abolish this ceiling limit of Rs 15000/- wage for
calculating managements contribution to EPF.

(c) DCRG: The ceiling limit for payment of DCRG (Death Cum Retirement Gratuity)
was enhanced from Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs due to the struggles of the trade union
movement. But for several retirees were eligible for more than this Rs 10 lakh as
per calculation. Also, the ceiling limit of 16.5 months wages on DCRG is depriving
the beneficiaries their actual amount due as per their service. It is therefore
demanded to abolish these two ceilings on DCRG.

5. Assured pension to all employees and workers and minimum pension

should be not less than Rs 3000/-

(a) At present Government is paying pension to the Central and State Government
employees appointed before 1.1.2004 (except in Bengal and Tripura where all
government employees including those recruited after 1.1.2004 are being paid
pension by concerned state governments due to the decision of the Left
Front Governments in those States to continue government pension for all
government employees. In Kerala, the UDF Government decided to implement new
pension scheme for government employees recruited from 1.4.2013 onwards). In
the case of Central Government employees appointed w.e.f 1.4.2003 and the State
Government employees appointed w.e.f 1.4.2004 or at a later date (except Bengal
and Tripura), the Government will not pay pension. New Pension Scheme is being
implemented for them. In this scheme, the employee will pay 10% of his salary
(Pay+DA) as pension contribution to a pension fund company and Government also
will contribute same amount to the pension fund company. Whether the employee
will get pension or not on his retirement and how much he will get is all depending
on the profit or loss of the Pension Fund Company. Thus there is no pension security
for these employees, even though every month they have to contribute 10%
pension contribution. These Pension Fund Companies are under the purview of
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) created by PFRDA Act.
(b) There is a provision in the PFRDA Act (passed by Congress and BJP in the
Parliament) enabling the Government to transfer all the Government pensioners to
this new pension scheme whenever the Government decides so. Thus the PFRDA
Act is threatening the pension security of Government pensioners including those
absorbed in BSNL. In addition, the 60:40 order on Governments liability for pension
expenditure in the case of BSNL absorbed employees and the absence of a
provision for their pension revision along with wage revision are creating difficulties.
(c) At present, the workers of several establishments in private and public sectors,
including the BSNL recruitees and the TSM/Casual Mazdoor/Contract workers in
BSNL are eligible for pension under EPS (Employees Pension Scheme) under EPF.
But in several cases, the amount of pension under this scheme was less than Rs
1000/-. Due to the struggles of the working Class, the minimum amount of this EPS
was raised to Rs 1000/-.
(d) In September 2013, a Parliamentary Committee has recommended that the
minimum pension under EPS be enhanced from Rs 1000/- to Rs 3000/-by increasing

the contribution of the Government to EPS from 1.16% of the basic pay to 8.33%.
But neither the previous UPA Government nor the present NDA Government have
agreed for this.
(e) As per the DPE guidelines, the management has to contribute 30% of the basic
pay of the BSNL recruited employee. But the management is contributing 18% only.
Hence it is demanded that the remaining 12% be contributed by the Management
to a secure pension fund like LIC so that they will get pension based on that. But
BSNL management is agreeing to contribute 3% more only, in the name of financial
difficulties.
(f)
The demand of the trade unions is that (a) there should be an assured pension
available to all workers in organized and unorganized sector including the BSNL
contract workers, (b) the minimum pension under any scheme should not be less
than Rs 3000/- (c) the Central and State Government employees appointed after
1.1.2004 also should be made eligible for Government pension by abolishing the
new pension scheme, (d) the Government Pension Scheme be ensured by cancelling
the PFRDA Act (e) the above said difficulties in the case pension of BSNL absorbed
employees be removed, (f) the TSM and Casual Mazdoor in BSNL be made eligible
for Government pension and (g) for the BSNL recruitees as well as for other PSU
employees, a secure pension scheme ensuring 30% contribution by management
for their retirement benefits be implemented.
6. Minimum wage should not be less than Rs. 15000/- and it should be
increased as per price rise.
India has an act for minimum wages called The Minimum Wages Ac t, 1948. But it
has no criteria to decide how much the minimum wage should be. It will be decided
by Central and State Governments and it is varying from sector to sector with in the
same state, between the states and between the State and the Centre. In any case
the minimum wage declared thus by the Central and State Governments is very low.
What should be the criteria for deciding minimum wage? This was discussed by the
15th Indian Labour Conference held in 1957. The representatives of Trade Unions,
Industrialists and Government have participated in this Conference. The Conference
unanimously recommended that the minimum wage should be need based, that is,
it should satisfy the minimum needs of a worker. What are the minimum needs that
should be thus satisfied? The Conference accepted the accepted the formula of
Dr.Aykroyd regarding the minimum dietary requirements for a worker and his family.
As per this, the family of a worker includes three units-worker and his wife consist
two units and two children taken as one unit. According to Dr.Aykroyd, an ordinary
worker requires 2700 calories a day to be able to work in a healthy manner. Hence
daily dietary requirement should be such that it gives 2700 calories energy to each
of the 3 units of the workers family. As per Dr.Aykroyd, to get this energy of 2700
calories per day for each of the 3 units in the family, the dietary requirement is that
each unit requires per day 475 grams rice or wheat, 80 grams dal
(toor/urad/moong), 100 grams raw vegetables, 125 grams green vegetables, 75
grams other vegetables, 120 grams fruit, 200 ml milk, 56 gram sugar/jaggery, 40
grams edible oil, and for all 3 units per month fish 2.5 kg and meat 5 kg. (Total per

month requirement of the family is 42.75 kg rice/wheat, 7.2 kg dal, 9 kg raw

vegetables, 11.25 kg green vegetables, 6.75 kg other vegetables, 10.8 kg fruits, 18
ltr milk, 5 kg sugar/jiggery, 3.6 kg edible oil, 2.5 kg fish and 5 kg meat. Besides this
dietary requirement, the ILC also recommended that each member of the family of
the worker (the worker, his wife and two children, total 4) requires 18 yards of cloth
per year and hence the entire family requires 72 yards cloth every year. The ILC
further recommended that the HRA required at minimum level for a worker should
be equal to the rent charged for the houses built by Government under subsidized
housing schemes for low income groups. 20% of the total amount of these 3 items
should be given additionally towards fuel, lighting and other miscellaneous
expenditure.

The Supreme Court in its judgment dated 31.10.1991 in Workmen Vs Raptakos Bret
and Co. has upheld this concept of need based minimum wage as justified and
further held that an additional 25% on the need based minimum wage arrived as
per the 15th ILC recommendation should also be included in the concept of minimum
wage for meeting the expenses on account of childrens education, medical
requirement, minimum recreation including festivals and ceremonies and provisions
for old age and marriages.

As per the average prices that prevailed in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai,
Hyderabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar and Trivandrum on 1.5.2014, the minimum
wage as per the recommendations of 15 th ILC should be Rs 15467/- and as per the
Supreme Court Judgment, this amount has to be increased by 25% and it would be
Rs 20861/-.

Hence all the Trade unions are demanding the minimum wage as per the 15 th ILC
recommendation improved by the Supreme Court and in any case, it should not be
less than Rs 15000/- in any sector and it should be increased as per the price rise.
7. Stop contractorization of permanent and perennial work and pay
same wage and benefits to contract workers as regular workers for
same and similar work.
As per the Contract Labor (Regularization and abolition) Act, no contract worker
should be engaged for works having permanent/perennial nature. But this is being
done including in Government Departments and PSUs. The proportion of contract
workers is 50% in Public Sector and 70% in private sector. Hence it is necessary to
regularize all the contract workers doing the work of permanent nature. In BSNL,
TSMs, Casual Labor and Contract workers are being utilized for permanent works. All
of them should be regularized.

Article 16 of the Constitution provides for payment of equal wage for equal work.
But this is violated in private as well as public sectors. The contract workers are paid
far less than the regular workers doing same and similar duties. This should end and
the contract workers/casual Mazdoor/ TSMs in BSNL should be paid on par with the
cadre whose duties they are performing. The facilities available to regular workers
should be extended to them.

8. Universal social security cover for all workers

Only 4% of the workers in India are in organized sector and 96% of the workers are in unorganized
Also, self-employed workers, home based workers, workers in Government schemes like anganw
sector workers who comprise 96% of the work force have no social security schemes like medical,
the working class, the UPA=1 Government enacted The Unorganized Sector Workers Social Secu
existing schemes like Indira Gandhi national old age pension scheme, Aam aadmi bima yojana, ra
are not applicable to the vast majority of the unorganized sector and applicable to only those belo
are covered under this Act. Even for these 6 crores, adequate funds are not allotted for implemen
crore only to implement the benefits under this Act. But not a single paisa in it is expended so far.
schemes under this Act and campaigning as if they are doing great service to the unorganized se
imposed drastic cuts in budgetary allocations to the welfare schemes like ICDS (anganwadi), mi
families.

The trade unions are demanding that all the unorganized workers and government scheme work
social security act, whether they are below or above poverty line, and sufficient funds should b
accident relief, maternity benefits, provident fund, pension etc. to all unorganized workers.

9. Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days from the d

Convention C 87 and C 98.

After the advent of the neo-liberal economic policies, managements in most of the private sector
towards the existence of trade unions. Workers are removed and leaders are harassed and remo
difficult and thousands of applications for registration of trade unions are kept pending since a lon
should be done within 45 days of application.

As per the convention 87 approved by the ILO (International Labor Organization), all the wo
intervention from managements and without any discrimination. But the Government of India is
trade union right to government employees and they are allowed to form associations only. The T
10% of the workers or 100, whichever is less, should come together, instead of the earlier prescrib
trade unions. The trade unions are demanding that the Government should ratify the convention
unions without any conditions imposed by the Government or management.

As per the convention 98 approved by the ILO, the workers should have the right of collective ba
negotiating with the union/unions thus recognized to come to agreement on the demands of the
did not ratify this convention 98. In India, there is no Act at central level and in many states for r
are recognized through secret ballot/check off system as per the Code of Conduct, which was on
1961. But in most of the private sector, the trade unions are not recognized on the basis of se
unions. Instead, the managements are making agreements with individual workers or with their
are demanding that the Government of India should ratify the ILO convention 98 and ensure collec

10.

Containing unemployment through concrete measures for employment gen

In our country every year 1.2 crore people join in the labour market searching for work. As per the
the 8 sectors-garments, leather, metals, automobiles, gems and jewelry, transport, IT/BPO and ha
be satisfied with this meagre creation of 4.19 lakhs?

Modi came to power campaigning that Manmohan Singh failed to solve unemployment and he wo
name of creating crores of jobs. Foreign investors coming in large scale and establishing factorie
India for selling in other countries is the sum and substance of this policy. For this, Modi has be
announced several concessions to foreign investors and Indian investors. He issued land ordinanc
industrialization.

In spite of this, investment has not come in a big way. A major portion (54%) of whatever has
goods/services nor create jobs. In spite of all this, in 2014, only 4 lakhs jobs were created unde
Singh in 2013 in the 8 sectors mentioned above.

Moreover, the strategy to produce in India for selling in other countries is a flawed strategy. Due to
our exports are falling down. This is the reply given by the Commerce Minister Mrs Nirmala Sitaram

Even in our country the market is not growing due to lack of sufficient purchasing power in the
Parliament on 21.7.2015, as on 31.3.2015 the number of companies closed was 45603 and i
companies in the country are at the brink of closure.

Under these circumstances, when there is no market either in other countries or in India, how f
unproductive sectors like stock market, finance, real estate and to loot our natural resources, to g
what is now happening.

It is also proved that the development said to be achieved by the foreign and Indian Corpor
creating more jobs. During 2004-05 to 2009-10, the average GDFP growth was spectacular 8%, w
1.5%. It is thus proved that the concessions given to foreign and Indian capitalists are not helping

Therefore the private sector cannot be depended upon for job creation. It should be the responsib
result the jobs in organized sector have decreased from 2.82 crores in 1998 to 2.75 crores in 20
2000, it increased to 32% in 2008-09 and 50% at present. Thus, due to increase in unemployment

The largest employer in organized sector in our country is the Government. But the Governme
outsourcing works. The number of posts unfilled in various central government departments is a
lakhs to 13 lakhs during the last 10 years. The number of emp0loyees in BSNL was 3.5 lakhs as
drastic reduction of jobs in Government Department and Public Sector, the possibility of social just

The Modi Government is shirking its responsibility of job creation and moreover it is attacking eve
Rural Employment Guarantee Act) by drastic reduction in allocation of funds to it. This is reducing

While thus adding to the increase in unemployment and thus creating the unrest, the ruling classe

This increasing unemployment is resulting in more and more number of casual/contract workers
movement, thereby negatively effecting the future of the workers and employees.

Therefore in the interest of the society and in the interest of the future of the working class, it
unions are demanding the Government to take the following steps to curtail unemployment:

a)

Lift the ban on recruitment in Central/State Government Departments and PSUs.

b)

Fill up all the vacant posts without abolishing them.

c)

Stop outsourcing the work in Government departments and PSUs.

d)
Improver the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme so that all the unemployed in rural a
scheme with ensured minimum wage be implemented.
e)

Extend the required financial support to self-employment/self-help schemes and small indus

f)

Unemployment Allowance for unemployed and modernization of employment exchanges.

11.
Urgent measures for containing price-rise through universalisation of publ
market.

Sometimes it may be fast, sometimes it may be slow, but certainly the prices of essential commo
the IDA of BSNL employees which was 0 as on 1.1.2007 has become 102.6% as on 1.7.2015. Thus
increase per year. But the price index and DA formula are such that the actual price rise will no
with the Finance Minister on 17.1.2015 have demanded merger of 100% DA for Central Governme
impact the workers who are not getting any DA for price rise. The privatization of education and h
Added to this, the Modi Government has lifted the price control on drugs required in the case
considerably.

Internationally, the prices of petroleum were reduced by 50%. If prices of petroleum and diesel in
the prices of all commodities due to reduction in power/transport charges. Due to such reduction

our country there is no such reduction in the prices of petroleum products since the Modi Gov
benefit to the people.

The main reason for price rise is black market and speculation. The speculation on essential com
Government is destroying the food security act by resorting to cash payment for food subsidy. This

Therefore the trade unions are demanding the following measures to control price rise:
a)

Dont allow black market in essential

b)

Ban speculation in essential commodities

c)

Universalize Public Distribution System and provide essential commodities through it.

12.
No FDI in Railway, Insurance, Pension and Defense
Modi Government has enacted increase in FDI ceiling limit in insurance sector from 26% to 49%
pension sector. The Modi Government decided to allow 100% FDI in railway infrastructure and to
FDI in large scale in pension and insurance is dangerous to the pension security and medical sch
more FDI will increase the pressure on the Government to handover the pension fund of the
government pension. Similarly the increase in FDI in insurance sector will lead to increasing press
CGHS, and various medical schemes in PSUs like BSNL MRS and to divert all employees and wo
medical schemes. This increased FDI will thus lead to a serious threat to EPF, EPS, Pension and m
self-reliance in defense production. Allowing FDI in Railways will lead to its privatization. The
recommended for allowing private companies in installing and maintaining railway tracks and in ru
Hence trade unions are demanding not to allow FDI in insurance, pension, defense and railways.

The Alternative path of development proposed by the trade unions

The theory that the foreign and Indian big corporates must be satisfied by abolishing the righ
measures available to the people and then only they will invest and develop the country is a bank
of the Indian and foreign corporates.

The trade unions are opposing such a bankrupt, anti-worker, anti-people theory of development. A
for developing the country, in the pre-budget consultation held by the Finance Minister Sri Arun Ja
a)

To improve employment, Government has to invest in large scale for developing infrastructu

b)
The funds for such investment can be gathered by cancelling the unjustified concessions g
NPAs of Banks (Debts not paid) due from the Corporates and by collecting the more than Rs 5 lakh
c)

The black money in foreign countries diverted from India illegally is double the amount of for

d)
The resources thus pooled can be used for developing the country by investing for improvi
workers and the people and for implementing welfare of the people.

Thus there are enough resources for developing the country and for solving unemployment and fo
This is the alternative proposed by the working class for developing the country.
Real Problem

The real problem in our country is not the lack of adequate resources for development and for sati

The real problem is the lack of political will with the Government, be it of UPA or NDA variety, to g
bringing back the black money and by collecting taxes evaded by corporates etc. The reason for
of the Corporates and not of the people. The Modi Government has now resorted to an all-round
people and it is hell bent on selling the PSU stocks quickly, in large scale and implement large sca

Therefore the issue before each and every worker and employee, be it in any sector, is to de
Government and State Governments or to come forward to fight unitedly against this attack.
Task

It is the task and responsibility of all workers and employees in all sectors to participate in the nat
people policies of the Central and State Governments to protect the future. This strike is a patrio
from the barbarous attacks of the foreign and Indian Corporates. This struggle is nothing but a str
worker and employee to participate in such a great and sacred general strike.