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VOICE OF ELECTRICITY WORKERS
Editorial
THE RIGHT TO STRIKE
The Supreme Court decision that the workers have no fundamental, legal,
statutory, moral or equitable right to go on strike is a blow to the Indian
working class. This decision practically taking away the existing legal rights
being enjoyed by the Indian workers. The legality of this decision has been
questioned by renowned legal persons of the country including Shri Soli Sorabjee
Advocate General of India.
Without going to its legal implications it is quite evident that
it goes against the right to collective bargaining of the workers which is a
basic right. It is in everybody's knowledge that in the present day society
collective bargaining is the main liver with which the working class of the
country is able to acquire at least the minimum conditions for human existence.
For a single vacancy lakhs appear to compete and finally employers dictum
prevails to impose subhuman conditions for the job seekers. Only through
collective bargaining they acquire better service conditions. The collective
bargaining will not be effective without right to strike. This is the liver to
ensure social justice. And that is why the total workers of the country in one
voice demanded that the right to strike should be restored. Every trade union
worth its salt must join in the fight for getting restored the right to strike.
In this light we welcome the decision of the central and state government
employees to go for a national strike on February 11, 2004 demanding the
restoration of right to strike. We also declare full support for the strike.
All the central trade unions of the country are preparing for a collective
action demanding right to strike and the reversal of the imperialist led
globalization policies implemented in the country by the central and state
governments probably by mid February'04. The date of which will be decided on
the basis of consensus. The electricity employees of the country the engineers
and workers should prepare themselves to join in this movement enthusiastically
which is our responsibility. The right to strike to be made a fundamental strike
and the reversal of privatisation of power sector which is going to result in
de- industrialization and adversely affect our total development. Therefore we
demand the reversal of these policies together with the demand for the
restoration of right to strike.
Our union should take steps to mobilise all the workers in the industry and
joined the main stream of national action of the Indian working class for a
policy change.
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