Report of correspondent of Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC)
The call for an All-India General Strike on 9 July is receiving widespread support from trade unions and organisations of peasants and other working people throughout the country. Various organisations have announced their participation in the strike. The strike call has been given by central trade unions, together with various federations of workers, to demand an immediate halt to the attacks of the central and state governments on the livelihood and rights of workers. Kamgar Ekta Committee has been actively organising all over the country for the success of the General Strike.
Trade unions of rail workers have announced their support for the General Strike. The two federations of railway unions, the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) and the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR), have decided to hold dharnas, demonstrations, rallies and gate meetings all over the country. The All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), the organisation of train drivers, has announced that its members will show their protest against the government’s anti-worker policies by wearing black badges. In addition to supporting the general demands of the All India General Strike, the All India Guards Council (AIGC) has demanded filling up 20,000 vacancies of train managers and strengthening of the safety organization of the Indian Railways. The Southern Railway Employees Sangh (SRES) has asked its members to demonstrate in front of the offices of the respective Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) on 9 July demanding an end to privatization, outsourcing and contractualization in the Indian Railways. It has also demanded filling up of all vacant posts.
Various power sector workers organisations including the AIPEF, All India Power Diploma Engineers Federation (AIPDEF), All India Federation of Electricity Employees (AIFEE), Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI), Indian National Electricity Workers Federation (INEWF), and All India Powermen’s Federation (AIPF) have given a joint call for escalation of their struggle and for electricity workers to join the All India strike of 9th July
The All India Electricity Consumers Association (AIECA) has demanded an immediate end to all attempts of the central and state governments to privatize electricity distribution. It has further demanded that installation of smart meters must be stopped in all the states. It has declared that electricity is an essential utility, not a commodity for profit.
The All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) has called upon defence civilian employees to boycott work for one hour and hold demonstrations at their work places on 9 July to express their support for the demands for which the All India General Strike is being organised. It has also raised the demand for filling up all vacancies in defence establishments.
Many unions, while serving their notice of strike to their employers, have added their sector specific demands. ONGC workers’ unions have opposed privatisation of oil PSUs, outsourcing of operation and maintenance and other jobs and asset monetisation in oil PSUs. They want the revised public sector privatisation policy of 2021 to be scrapped.
The federations of bank and insurance workers have demanded strengthening of public sector banks and insurance companies instead of their privatisation. They have demanded strict measures to be taken to recover bad loans from capitalists. They have demanded stoppage of outsourcing of jobs and hiring of people on contract. Insurance workers’ unions have expressed their opposition to the extension of the FDI limit for the insurance sector to 100% and want immediate finalisation of the long pending wage revision for general insurance workers.
Postal workers want the Post Office Act 2023 to be withdrawn.
Coal workers of Singareni have demanded that coal blocks of Singareni Collieries should not be auctioned to private players and all contract workers must be regularised.
The All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) has announced its support for the All India General Strike, reiterating its demand for an end to privatisation of education and employment of teachers on contract.
The Bhumi Adhikar Andolan, extending its support to the All India General strike, has declared that land, labour and forest belong to people and not to capitalists for making profit.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has extended its full support to the call for the All India General Strike. Kisan organisations are planning to hold demonstrations and rallies in rural areas on the day of the strike.
Throughout the country, amongst all sections of workers and working people, the mood is to unitedly oppose all anti-worker and anti-people measures of the central and state governments.