Report of Correspondent of Workers Unity Movement
May Day was observed by workers in Tamil Nadu with a lot of anger at their extremely exploitative conditions of work and life, and with enthusiasm and resolve to put an end to this man eating system.
Penn Thozhilalar Sangam (Women Workers Union) and Garment and Fashion Workers Union held a meeting on May Day. A large number of women workers attended the program. Comrades Sujatha Modi – President of both these Unions, Dhanalakshmi, Elizabeth Rani, Sumathi of Garment Workers Union and Baskar from Workers Unity Movement were amongst those who addressed the meeting. Speakers recalled the struggle of the workers against the exploiting capitalists and the need to build further unity and carry forward their struggle. A Play was enacted by workers, depicting the terrible condition of the garment workers inside their factories. There were also dance perfomances by youth.
Hospital workers of Voluntary Health Services (VHS) held a gate meeting outside their hospital on May Day at 7 am. The red flag was hoisted, with all workers raising slogans – “Long live Mayday!”, “Salute the martyrs of working class!”, “Long live Workers Unity!”, “Let us build and strengthen VHS workers Union!” Com Ramakrishnan, President of VHS Workers Union, Com Baskar of Workers Unity Movement and many others addressed the meeting. They spoke about the urgent necessity to build the Union among the contract workers and young workers of the hospital.
The Working People Trade Union Council organised a May Day meeting which was attended by many workers from large scale industries including from Simpsons and TAFE. Addressing the meeting, trade union leader R Kuchelor pointed out that the vast majority of the workers today are being hired as contract workers, with no rights. Capitalists are earning huge profits by this brutal exploitation. This situation has to end and workers have to unite irrespective of whether they are permanent workers or Fixed Term Employees, and fight for their rights. Many leaders from different factories spoke on this occasion.
COITU and unions affiliated to it such as 108 Ambulance Workers Union, Government Hospital Support workers Union, Aayush workers Union, All Nurses Union and LPG cylinder delivery workers Union held a May Day rally in Madurai, followed by a meeting. Speakers demanded scraping of the Fixed Term Employment scheme and permanency of jobs for all workers in Government hospitals including 108 Ambulance workers, fair wages for all workers, and recognition of LPG cylinder delivery men as workers.
Hosur Trade Unions Federation held a Conference in Hosur on the occasion of May Day. In this conference they discussed various important issues concerning the workers’ interests. They demanded scraping of the four anti-worker labour codes, regularization of the contract workers and other casual workers, enactment and implementation of a strict law against retrenchments, 8 hour work day, speedy resolution of labour cases, etc. Large number of workers and leaders took part in this conference and spoke.
AITUC and CITU jointly held May Day programs in different cities of Tamil Nadu. Many trade unions and federations held individual or joint May Day programs in different parts of Chennai and all over the state.
In the May Day rallies and demonstrations held in Tamil Nadu, the following common demands were raised:
- Withdraw the 4 anti-worker labour codes
- Regularize all contract and temporary workers
- Ensure living wages, pension and social security for all workers
- Declare Minimum wages as Rs.30,000 and implement it
- Make the 20th May General Strike a success
Through the May Day demonstrations and rallies, workers expressed their deep anger at the capitalist system which is treating them as slaves, pushing their living conditions down and denying them all the rights they have won by hard struggles over decades. They expressed their determination to fight for a new system free from exploitation which would guarantee them their well being and a life of dignity.