Thread: 100,000,000 workers grind India to a halt in one of world's biggest strikes ever

100,000,000 workers grind India to a halt in one of world's biggest strikes ever

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Quote:

Banking, insurance and industry are likely to be affected on Tuesday with all major unions calling a countrywide strike to protest the "anti-labour" policies of the government, rising prices and disinvestment of PSUs.

Unions leaders who have rejected appeals to desist from
the strike said all 11 major trade unions including Congress-affiliated INTUC, Shiv Sena-backed Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and UPA ally Indian Union Muslim League's trade-wing STU would join hands to make the strike a success.

"This a historic occasion as for the first time all the major trade unions irrespective of political affiliations are coming together to protest anti-labour polices of the government," AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said.

Dasgupta especially lauded INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy for being the "most consistent fighter in our joint struggle".

About 5,000 small unions have also decided to support the strike call, the union leaders said.

The government had last week appealed the trade unions to desist from going on strike with Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge saying they were ready to discuss any kind of labour-related issues.

Rejecting the appeal, Dasgupta said "We are not ready to consider such a ritualistic statement on the part of the government." He said the government had enough opportunity earlier to sit with the trade unions to discuss the issues.

The unions are demanding no contractorisation of work -- permanent or perennial nature, amendment of Minimum Wages Act, assured pension for all and compulsory registration of trade union among others.

Source

Possibly the world's largest strike. The specialty about this strike is that trade unions from all different political spectrum are united today for single common cause, even the trade unions affiliated with reactionary parties like "Shiv Sena" and unions affiliated with ruling "Congress Party" have come together with different communist parties against anti labor policies of central government.

Time to show some revolutionary enthusiasm, I guess.


also check out:

http://libcom.org/news/100000000-wor...trike-28022012 and http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2...550702681.html

Wind The UK,USA.AUSTRALIA back 70/100 years. Workers seeking better conditions and a share in increased production. We were all called communists then. Never forget how heavy a Greedy Hand is. Workers want to build a Future for themselves and their families, they see a glimmer of hope for themselves. This means very little to organised Capital whose vision is restricted by the need to see their product selling in the Market place. My Grief with organised Capital has always concerned the view that the unit of product must be sold at the highest possible price, the Margin of Profit to be Maximised to the Max. Business is a kind of complex game for the Owners of the means of Production, requiring their full concentration and sometimes collaboration of other links in the Profit Stream. The worker has his labour to offer, but suffers discrimination and exploitation for he is a readily available resource. We shall see what the Growth Factor in India turns out to be, but my advice to the Future Captains of Industry in that Country would be, learn what a successful Democracy means, and keep your workers on side. westwind.