People will stand by prolonged strikes for just causes

The prevailing situation in the country where the working class are doomed to suffer daily owing to the faulty policies of the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government at the Centre necessitated concerted agitations, said Kanam Rajendran, state secretary of AITUC.

Elaborating the stance of the trade union and extending wholehearted support to the idea of 72-hour general strike on a stretch or beyond, mooted by the CITU, Kanam Rajendran told  Express  that the attempt being made by the joint movement of trade unions in the country is to bring crucial issues concerning the common people to the grassroots level and achieve results.

“Cutting across political affiliations, trade unions across a wide spectrum including the INTUC, HMS and BMS have already come together on a common platform and taken up the task to work for improving the living conditions of the masses. The AITUC general council held recently in Ranchi had approved this stand,’’ he said. On whether the public will take a favourable stand to such prolonged stirs, which will amount to a virtual bandh or hartal in states like Kerala, Kanam Rajendran remained optimistic and asserted that even the media will also be forced to appreciate the fight of the trade unions for a pertinent cause. “This is because the rising hegemony of multinational companies in the Indian market as never before due to the government’s neo-liberal policies would ultimately affect all sectors including a large chunk of Indian corporates and even many media houses adversely,” he said. He said that the right to work is the fundamental right of the working class.

“All sections of workers will be made aware up to the grassroots level while intensifying the agitation. The September 4 conclave of trade unions slated to be held in New Delhi will chart out an action plan so that a collective agitation for continuous three days will be organised around the time of Budget session of Parliament in February next year,“ he said.

“Around 11 crore workers had taken part in the February 28 strike this year following a joint call given by the trade unions but it has not trickled down to the grassroots level,” he noted. However, he said that the strike plans will be put off if the UPA Government ended its faulty policies.