INTUC’s NEW DIRECTION TO THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT: COLLABORATION WITH CAPITALISM

53^rd meeting of the working committee was held at Mumbai on 12^th &13^th April,2003 and was chaired by Shri G. Sanjeeva Reddy, President INTUC.

Shri Sachinbhau Ahir, Working President of Maharashtra State Branch of INTUC, welcomed the Office Bearers, Members of the Working Committee, Permanent and Special Invitees as also the distinguished guests. The Office Bearers and Guests were garlanded. Amongst the guests Shri Oscar Fernandes, M.P. & General Secretary, AICC, Shri Hemant Deshmukh, Labour Minister, Maharashtra State and Shri Ranjeet Deshmukh, PCC President of Maharashtra, addressed the meeting. Shri Oscar Fernandes carried the message of Smt. Sonia Gandhi, President AICC and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, who wished the Working Committee Meeting a success.

The Working Committee meeting discussed on various vital and important issues concerning labour and economy of the country. The meeting adopted two important papers.

Paper on creation of Workers Sector called upon the workers to shift their approach from confrontation to cooperation with the capital and become true partner of the industry. The paper also called upon the workers to be prepared to take over the PSUs listed for dis-investment/privatisation. The paper also urged upon the workers to enhance their capacity to be able to run the industrial establishment and if necessary they should seek the help of professionals. The meeting discussed about the performance of such units taken over by the workers especially one Textile Mill in Gujarat, Electricity Distribution in the selected area in Andhra Pradesh and buy out proposal given by the workers and officers of the Management Ore (India) Limited.

The other important discussion of the Working Coimmittee of INTUC was to prevent work stoppage in any form – neither by strike nor by lock-out, lay off or retrenchment. This paper emphasized on the need of creating an atmosphere congenial for the investment so that the job generation can be possible. In order to protect the existing jobs the paper called upon the workers to settle all industrial conflicts throiugh mutual dialogue to ensure bringing the frequent work stoppage to naught. The Working Committee while adopting the paper called upon other trade Union Centres to pursue the policy of "no work stoppage" in any industrial establishment and for that purpose the President and General Secretary of INTUC were authorised to open dialogie with other Trade Union Centres, Employers Organisations and the Government.

Since the beginning of 2002 although INTUC was associated with the joint programme of action organized by the central Trade Union Organizations to protest against some of the steps initiated by the Government which was adveresely affecting the interest of the working class, INTUC categorically told the other Trade Union Centres that it would not be a party to any strike action. The decision to go on strike on 21^st May, 2003 was taken by the left dominated Trade Union Centres where INTUC was not a party. There was, however, an approach from the other Trade Union Centres to the President of INTUC and he conveyed to them that without the clearance of the Working Committee, INTUC cannot be a party to any strike.

The matter was placed before the working committee meeting held at Mumbai on 12^th &13^th April, 2003 and the working Committee unanimously decided not to participate in the strike on 21^st May, 2003 as the meeting viewed that the strike would not help reversing the policy of the government.

After the Working Committee Meeting, Shri G. Sanjeeva Reddy, President INTUC, briefed the media that the Working Committee observed that the strike call was politically motivated and INTUC should not be involved in such strikes.

He appealed to all the affiliated unions not to give any cognizance to the strike call given by the Trade Union Centres other than INTUC. He also requested the affiliated Unions not to be confused by any mal-publicity involving the name of INTUC.

Courtesy Indian Worker, May 1-15, 2003.