Statement of IFTU National Committee
STATEMENT OF IFTU NATIONAL COMMITTEE:
SOLIDARITY WITH STRIKING WORKERS OF HEC RANCHI!
Since the past three days the workers of HEC Ranchi have been on strike under the banner of Save HEC Mazdoor Jan Sangharsh Committee have been on strike against brutal lathi-charge on workers on 11th October when they were seeking talks with management since three senior Directors of the Company had come down to the HEC Headquarters. They had been demanding talks regarding nonpayment of 20 months’ wage of workers, working capital for HEC and modernization of the PSU. All trade unions of HEC have supported the strike except the BMS.
The Central Govt has a declared policy of privatizing at throw away prices or shutting down the entire public sector of the country. This sector was built on public money and on land acquired for this purpose from common people. The HEC is an establishment which has played a role in establishing hundreds of industries in the country and earned crores of profit for the Govt. Like other PSUs, it is being deliberately removed from the picture to serve big private players, chiefly imperialists. But the Central Govt. cannot hide its contributions from the eyes of the people- most recently HEC was in the news for manufacturing crucial components for the successful Chandrayan 3 mission, on the strength of which the Modi Govt went all out to win accolades for itself!
IFTU National Committee extends full solidarity to the strike struggle of the employees of HEC. We demand that the Central Govt pay immediate attention to the demands of the workers to be paid pending wages and to attend to the modernization and revival of HEC. We also demand revocation of the policy to sell or close all PSUs of the Central Govt.
Long live the struggle of HEC employees!
Long live fighting unity of Working Class!
Revoke Privatization/ Closure Policy of PSUs!
Aparna T. Srinivas
Pres. Gen. Secretary
NATIONAL COMMITTEE
IFTU
Dated 14th October 2023.