The General Council session of CITU held on 28-30 May 1999 at Ghaziabad has taken place at a very crucial juncture. The country's economy was put in absolute shambles setting in the gloom of decline in all fronts with the workers becoming the worst victims, and the communal forces with active support of the Govt machinery is perpetrating atrocious attack on the secular fabric of the society along with their simultaneous effort to communalise the administration and the public institutions. In this background BJP led govt has fallen due to the internal squabbles in the coalition and the country is going to face the general election again. In this background of crisis and complication in the economic, political and social scenario, the General Council session of CITU has to address in detail the task before the working class and the trade union movement.

The three day long session of the General Council has taken many important decisions and resolutions. 270 members from all corners of the country attended the session, besides, invitees from the fraternal organisations and federations from Bank, Insurance, pharmaceuticals and other sectors.

The meeting commenced with the condolence resolution offering respectful homage to the martyrdom of the three women tea garden workers of Assam, who were killed by the gangsters engaged by the management and condoling demise of the leaders of the working class and democratic movement both in home and abroad.

In his presidential address, E. Balanandan, President of CITU detailed out the development in the international arena, which featured aggressive and arrogant venture of the imperialist forces to establish its hegemony in the world particularly on the developing countries through multi-pronged strategies. The NATO bombing on Yugoslavia, is the latest demonstration of such a venture of the USA led military block in utterly shameless and arrogant disregard to the sovereignty of the concerned country, with United Nations remaining a silent and helpless onlooker. In the so-called unipolar world, the inhuman brutalities perpetuated by continuous air attack on Yugoslavia in the name of disciplining them, manifests the evil and ugly design of the imperialist forces led by USA, to subjugate the independent sovereign developing countries in tune with the political and economic interest of the imperialist block. Side by side, the so-called liberalisation and globalisation process unleashed by the World Bank, IMF, WTO and other international agencies dominated by the imperialist countries has been acting in widening and strengthening the grip of the multinational companies on the economies of the developing nations in the direction of establishing the economic hegemony of the imperialist block. The working class must have proper understanding regarding the machination of imperialist forces both in military, economic and political front which has got serious bearing for the Indian workers as well, and must develop greater awareness to mobilise workers in a massive way in the struggle and campaign against imperialist manoeuvres all the world over. Balanandan pointed out that working class all over the world including those in NATO countries has joined in thousands in the protest demonstrations against NATO bombing on Yugoslavia and Indian workers also staged protest at various part of the country. But situation demands strengthening the anti-imperialist content and consciousness of our struggle further to mobilise more and more workers in the struggle against economic, political and military depredation of the imperialist forces in a big way.

Jean Pierre Page, head of the International Deptt of Confederation of French Trade Unions (CGT-France) also attended the General Council session of CITU. In his greeting speech to General Council, Page congratulated CITU for its initiative to unite the working class in the struggle against globalisation and imperialism and stated about the struggle of French workers against onslaught of globalisation and neo-liberalism.

The General Secretary’s report placed by M K Pandhe, General Secretary CITU, outlined the alarming and faster decline in all the fronts of Indian economy during the 13 month regime of the BJP led Govt and its disastrous impact on the life and living of the workers and the common people. Such decline in industry and agricultural front, skyrocketing prices actively promoted by the hoarder-friendly Govt, increasing unemployment, increasing phenomenon of closures and industrial sickness have exploded the claim of the BJP led Govt that they are competent to bring the economy in the track. In fact last 13 months BJP rule witnessed more vigorous pursuance of the liberalisation and globalisation policies, much bigger concession to multinational companies at the cost of domestic industries and shameless surrender of the Govt of India to imperialist forces. The hasty move to get the Patent Amendment Act passed in the Parliament in connivance with Congress and introduction of Insurance Regulatory Authority Bill despite all out opposition by the entire trade union movement exposed the shameless allegiance of the BJP led Govt more to the interest of foreign companies than to the interest of the country. Such a situation warrants more vigorous and united struggle of the working class against the economic policy of liberalisation and globalisation being pursued by Govt of India.

The report exposed in detail as to how, the attack on the rights of the workers and life and living of the common people have been increasing during the BJP regime. Implementation of the labour laws is becoming so tardy as to become meaningless for mass of the workers. And the Govt has been actively exercising to change the existing labour laws further in favour of the employers. The Govt has announced constitution of National Labour Commission and the Govt did not bother to consult the trade unions on the matter. Four major central trade unions, viz. CITU, AITUC, INTUC and HMS have jointly written to the Govt regarding terms of reference and composition of the proposed labour commission but govt did not respond to the same and it is being heard that govt have already finalised everything in a partisan manner.

The report also exposed in detail as to how the BJP led Govt at the Centre has worked overtly and covertly to spread communal venom in the society and to communalise the administration and education system in a big way. The pursuit of the Hindutva ideology with active abutment of the Govt in power has led to increasing attack on minorities, particularly on Christians in a big way. The very existence of the BJP led Govt and their activities have posed a grave threat to the secular fabric of the society and also unity of the toiling people, the report reiterated, which should be exposed and fought back unitedly and vigorously, by the working class.

The report reviewed the activities and struggles a conducted by the CITU units during last one year against the twin attacks of the policy and liberalisation and the communal forces in governance and emphasised on redoubling of initiative of the trade union movement, to build up broadest unity of the class against this govt’s anti-national and anti-people policies.

Thirty-nine members participated in the deliberation on the General Secretary’s report. The speakers in general while making a self-critical review of the report and the activities in various sectors thrusted on need to unleash series of campaign and agitation against the attacks on the working class and the govt policies, to create greater awareness and ensure wider mobilisation of workers against the most dangerous enemy of the society, now in seat of governance. At the same time steps should be taken build up sectoral struggles on sector specific problems linking the same with the countrywide movement against the policies.

Pandhe also reported the General Council regarding the decision of CITU Working Committee on setting up an Institute of Labour Studies and Education to be operated from BTR Memorial Bhawan. The Institute is expected to build up a TU Library and carry on studies/research on various aspects related to labour and conduct regular trade union education programme.

General Council also made a thorough review of 20 years’ work of CITU in the working women’s front. All India Co-ordination Committee of Working Women was formed by CITU 20 years before to organise the working women in trade union movement in a bigger way to ensure greater participation and involvement of women workers at all levels of the trade union movement. K Hemalata introduced a separate discussion paper on the subject. The discussion paper on working women pointed out that initiative taken 20 years back by CITU to give special emphasis in organising the working women has not only increased involvement of working women within CITU organisations but also resulted in similar initiative in all other TU organisations and brought the agenda of women workers before the TU movement with greater thrust. The paper also pointed out that despite some advance in the matter, till now the participation of women workers in the trade union movement is still much less compared to the total number of women workers in the workforce. Share of women workers at various level of leadership of the TUs is also much less compared to their number and general participation. The report also self-critically reviewed that lack of understanding regarding the urgent need of organising the working women and struggle against the exploitation and discrimination against women workers still persist within various leading committees of CITU which need to be overcome on priority basis. Twenty-five members from various states took part in the deliberation on the discussion paper and endorsed the conclusion of the discussion paper. The discussion paper inter ail points to the urgent need of formation of sub-committee/co-ordination committee of working women in all the states wherever it was not there, identification of industries in which substantial women workers are there to concentrate work in these sectors with priority and to organise the working women sub committees within the unions. The discussion paper also stressed on the urgent task of holding trade union class for women activists to prepare them for leadership activities.

The General Council has adopted unanimously the resolutions against NATO bombardment on Yugoslavia and on recent developments of Indo-Pakistan border. The General Council also adopted a resolution condemning dastardly killings of three women tea garden workers and CITU activists in Assam viz. Com. Sita Marandi, Tanlin Guria, and Masfa Guria by the gangsters engaged by the Tea Garden management and demanding action against the assailants. From the General Council session itself more than Rs 1 lakh has been collected in solidarity with the struggle of Assam Tea Garden workers including commitments from various federations/state committees.

M K Pandhe in his reply to the deliberation, stressed on the urgent need to strengthen the organisation of CITU at various levels in line with the Organisational Document finalised by Bhubaneswar Working Committee meeting in 1995. It was decided that by the end of the year an all India workshop on organisation would be held to review the organisation and decide on future task.

While reviewing various aspect of our struggle against the economic policy, Pandhe stated that various agencies and the hired ideologues of liberalisation policies are propagating that liberalisation and globalisation process has become irreversible and cannot be defeated. These are being told to confuse the working class and dilute their opposition to these disastrous policies. By creating greater awareness among the grass root level workers on the damaging impact of these polices, united struggle of the working class and common people can definitely cry halt to these policies, Pandhe asserted.

While responding to various issues raised in deliberations and while explaining the current political situation after the fall of the BJP led Govt at the centre, Pandhe asserted that the task before the working class is to expose the misdeeds and misrule of the BJP led govt during last 13 months which is the fountainhead of onslaught on the country’s economic sovereignty and rights of livelihood of common people, and also the instrument of worst disruption and disunity among the people so far as its communal agenda is concerned. Hence CITU must close its ranks, build up broadest unity of the workers to defeat the BJP and its allies in the forthcoming election and strengthen the left forces. The need of the hour is that working class must politically assert itself to defeat the worst enemy and CITU must gear up its initiative in that direction, Pandhe reiterated.

The last day of the session on 30th May was also the 29th foundation day of CITU. Hence the concluding session of the General Council was also the session for Foundation Day celebration which was addressed by Samar Mukherjee, Vice President, Chittabrata Majumdar and K N Ravindranath both Secretaries CITU and also Jean P Page, Head of the International Deptt of CGT, France.

E Balanandan delivered the concluding speech and stressed on vigorous initiative by the CITU affiliates to build up broadest unity of the working class to prepare for fulfilment of its historic task.