Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) today held a massive rally at Chinar Park, Sonwar, Srinagar on the eve of May Day. It extended revolutionary greetings and solidarity to the working class and toiling masses. Large numbers of workers from different sectors carrying banners, placards and shouting slogans in favour of their demands marched from the venue towards Lal Chowk.May Day was born out of struggle and is the only event that transcends all divisions of religion, race, nationality or any other prejudice of the past amongst the human beings, said CITU State President Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami while addressing the rally. The onslaught on labour class is too severe and can only be met with united struggle, he said adding that labour laws across the state were being brazenly flouted and the destitute engaged in government and private sector as ad-hoc, casual, seasonal, need based, contingency paid workers and contractuals are facing its brunt. “Isolated efforts can’t be effective, be united and bold enough to safeguard the democratic rights of the workers and defeat the anti worker policies of successive governments” Tarigami stressed upon the workers.
ASHA’s under NRHM, Anganwadi workers & Helpers, CPWs, Mid Day Meal Workers, MGNREGA employees, Contractuals, Construction Workers, Need Based, Seasonal, Casual Labouers, Daily Wagers are neglected and their long pending demands are not met. The traditional artisans and weavers also reap little benefits of their hard toil and even were badly hit in the last floods are awaiting rehabilitation. He demanded immediate revocation of SRO 105 that deprives livelihood to hundreds of labourers associated with quarrying and construction business. Drastic cuts on allocations by the central government in the welfare schemes like ICDS, Mid-day-meal, NHM with the motive of finally doing away with such pro-people schemes and programmes altogether has desperately disillusioned the human resource working tirelessly and being meagerly paid under these schemes.
Observing that labour laws in the state are not in tune with the interests of workers in organized and unorganized sector and there was imminent need to amend and update these. The (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1996 to protect the rights of labourers working in construction projects has failed to benefit them. The Building and Other Construction Workers Act 1996 too has been a failure, the CITU president observed.High levels of unemployment being a cause of serious concern have not been addressed seriously by the successive governments thereby putting our youth in a state of despair and worrisome. Widespread under-employment is also gaining momentum as highly qualified and skillful youth are doing low end and unskilled jobs. The government seems to be in no mood to take measures to maximize employment opportunities; Tarigami lamented the government demanding a comprehensive employment policy in the state to guarantee much employment avenues under public and private sectors and harnessing the talented human resource.
Paying rich tributes to Zaldagar martyrs of 1865, Tarigami said that they laid the edifice of a struggle against the exploitation and atrocities on the artisans, a prominent section of working class. He said that the shawlbaff protest launched at Zaldagar against the ruling class has given vent to numerous movements of working class which are awaiting successful culminations.General Secretary CITU and Member of Parliament, Tapen Sen in his address castigated the central government said that the social security benefits like pension, provident fund, health insurance etc. are hard won rights of the working class secured through decades of struggle. These gains are now being reversed through privatization of pension funds, provident funds and cuts in subsidies and welfare benefits and such measures being implemented across the world today specifically target the social security benefits in order to pass on the burden of the economic crisis to the working people. He observed that the subsidies on food, fuel and fertilizers meant for the common man is targeted to be brought down to the mere 1.75% of GDP, while as 5% of GDP is being provided for tax defaulters and moneyed class.
Extending warmest revolutionary greetings to the entire working class and the toiling masses on the occasion, President of All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers & Helpers and CITU Secretary, K. Hemlata emphasized on the need to strengthen the unity among the trade unions. She drew attention to the global struggles of the working class against the growing attacks on their working and living conditions imposed by the neoliberal policies of the ruling class. Warning against the dangers of the divisive forces, trying to divide the working class on caste, religion, regional lines; she stressed the importance of the trade unions addressing the specific issues of the socially oppressed sections of the society to unify the working class.Veteran Kisan leader Ghulam Nabi Malik in his speech said that May Day is not an occasion to only commemorate the sacrifices of labour class and resolve for protecting the rights of working class but those of the peasant class as well, whose rights have brazenly been infringed.
Underlining the necessity for immediate redressal of the demands of workers’ rights for various trade unions including Anganwadi Workers & Helpers Union, ASHA Workers Union, Centaur Hotel Employees Union, Chopan Welfare Association, CPW & Mid Day Meal Workers Union, Footpath Vendors Union Srinagar, J&K Non-Gazatted Horticulture Employees Union, Kashmir Casual/Daily Wagers Forum, Kashmir Constructional Workers Union, Kashmir Handicraft Workers & Artisans Union, MGNREGA Employees Union, Aircel Land Owners and Care Takers Union, North Zone Insurance Employees Union, Stone Quarry Workers & Tipper Owners/Drivers Union, senior CITU leaders, Abdul Rashid Najar, Abdul Gani Bhat, Mohd Ismail, Reyaz Ahmad Nisar Ahmad Bhat , Jammela Sabri , Dilshada Akhter and Misra Ji urged upon the government to exhibit seriousness towards the demands of working class especially removal of pay anomalies, regularization of the employees engaged under various categories’.