Press Release of Rail Coach Factory (RCF) Employees Union
Press Release, May 1, 2023 (Monday)
Tributes were paid to the martyrs of 1 May on International Labour Day.
We will survive only when we come out of the shackles of sectarianism and unite: Amrik Singh
This is not a day for just performing rites or rituals, it is a day for taking a pledge to protect our rights: Paramjit Singh Khalsa
Today, on Labour Day, all the unions and associations of RCF jointly performed the flag hoisting ceremony paying tribute to the martyrs of 1 May. On this occasion, Gurjinder Singh, Buta Ram and Sanjay Kumar tried to expose the policies of the government by presenting revolutionary and toiling workers’ songs. Along with this, the employees took a pledge to fight for the rights of the working class on Labour Day by raising slogans of “Red Salute to the Martyrs of May Day” and “Inquilab Zindabad.”
Paying homage to the martyrs of Chicago, RCF Employees Union President Com. Amrik Singh said that we have gathered today to remember those who sacrificed their lives for our bright future. Millions of workers in America, taking lessons from the Indian workers’ revolution of 1857 and the Kolkata rail workers’ strike in 1862, raised their voice for their rights and against the capitalist system, due to which the workers of the whole world got many rights. But today, the Modi government of the country has made preparations to run bulldozers on our rights by merging 41 labour laws into four labour codes by making us workers fight on the basis of caste, religion, language, gender, region etc. That is why it is the need of the hour today to leave behind our minor differences, keep small demands aside, and unitedly work to organize all workers on a single platform and give a befitting reply to the anti-national and anti-people policies of the Modi government.
Working President of RCF Employees Union and Zonal President of IRTSA, Darshan Lal, Patron of RCFEU, Paramjit Singh Khalsa, Organizing Secretary of RCFEU, Bharat Raj said that 1 May, the biggest day, the biggest festival of workers—International Labour Day—is being celebrated with enthusiasm in every corner of the world. This is not the day for performing just any kind of rites or rituals. 1 May is a day to remember the great worker martyrs by organizing labour conferences, rallies, strikes, demonstrations and taking inspiration from their thoughts, struggles and sacrifices.
At present, the capitalist-imperialist exploitation of workers and toiling people has intensified all over the world. In the absence of workers’ unity, the rights achieved through the sacrifices of struggle are being taken away one by one by the rulers. Making a big dent on labour rights, the Modi government has replaced the old labour laws with four new labour codes, through which there is a conspiracy to turn history back to 19th century slavery by pushing the employees/workers into the pit of slavery of the capitalists more than ever before. Therefore, in such dark times, the importance of the revolutionary legacy of International Workers’ Day for the working class increases enormously. It is necessary that while imbibing the legacy of May Day, we make our employees/workers aware and intensify the struggle for their rights.
Arvind Kumar from OBC Association said that the governments of all parties in the country have made full efforts to exploit workers and other toiling people. At present, we have to unite everyone and enter the battlefield to cancel NPS and restore old pension, get new recruitment done, stop the conspiracies of corporatization and privatization of railways, cancel the four anti-worker labour codes and unite against the capitalist system snatching the rights. For this, we have to learn from our great history and not only fight against the snatching of our rights but also uproot these capitalist policies by organizing the working class by including other working people, labourers, farmers, employees, youth, women, etc. and leading them.
RCF organizations, including RCF Employees Union, RCF Men’s Union, IRTSA, OBC Association, SC & ST Association, etc., participated with their respective cadres to remember the martyrs of Chicago on Labour Day.
Issued by: Bharat Raj
Organizing Secretary, RCFEU
