HISTORIC DECISION OF THE CENTRAL JCA : UNITED STRIKE ON 28th FEBRUARY
Simultaneous with the decision of calling off the indefinite Postal Strike, the Central JCA has taken and announced another decision --- to join the 28th February 2012 strike called by all recognised Central Trade Unions for the first time in India. It would not be an exaggeration if we call this decision HISTORIC. The JCA leadership has responded to the call of the soul of the Postal workers and identified the need of the time.
Please recall the strike of 1946, when Postal employees proceeded to strike against the British imperialism. The fate of the common people is no better now, apart from the fact that the exploitation and corruption is now coming from people rooted in our soil. We may have a look to the 10-points charter of demands :
- Concrete measures to contain price rise
- Concrete measures for linkage of employment protection with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs
- Strict Enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws
- Universal social security cover for the unorganised sector workers without any restriction and creation of a National Social Security Fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendations of NECUS and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour
- Stoppage of disinvestment in Central and State PSUs
- No contractorisation of work of permanent / perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of the industry / establishment
- Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wages at not less than Rs. 1,000/-
- Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund: increase the quantum of gratuity
- Assured Pension for all and
- Compulsory Registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days and immediate rectification of the ILO Conventions numbers 87 and 98.
These are all about social rights, right for employment & living with minimum honour, protection for the workers, ensuring social security. We are also experiencing same bureaucratic attack on our professional lives. Let us campaign wholeheartedly to make the 28th Feb strike a landmark in the Trade Union Movement of our country so that we can make the Govt scrap the neo-liberal anti-labour policies by the dictate of capitalists.