Various sections of the working class in India and across the world have been out on the streets time and again over the past year in defence of their rights. In India, the bourgeoisie has unleashed an offensive on the rights of the workers in the interest of “ease of doing business” of the monopoly capitalists. The working class resistance culminated in several joint actions of workers through the year. Workers from across sectors of the economy expressed their opposition to the privatisation programme of the bourgeoisie.
Various sections of the working class in India and across the world have been out on the streets time and again over the past year in defence of their rights. In India, the bourgeoisie has unleashed an offensive on the rights of the workers in the interest of “ease of doing business” of the monopoly capitalists. The working class resistance culminated in several joint actions of workers through the year. Workers from across sectors of the economy expressed their opposition to the privatisation programme of the bourgeoisie.
|
All India satyagrah in Delhi, January 2018 |
|
All India Trade Unions Convention, Delhi, August 2017 |
|
Bank employees dharna, November 2017 |
|
Anganwadi workes’ dharna in Chhattisgarh, April 2018 |
|
Government employees on dharna, November 2017 |
|
Teachers on the road to struggle, Delhi, 2018 |
|
Road transport workes on strike in Tamilnadu, January 2018 |
|
IT Workers struggle to establish their union |
|
|
Crores of workers demonstrated on 30th January in support of their demands for minimum wages, social insurance, halt to privatisation and contractualisation of labour, for halting FDI in Railways, Defence and Insurance and other demands.
Over three lakh workers participated in the three-day mahapadav November 9-11, outside the parliament in New Delhi. Workers from almost all sectors of the economy — power plants, steel plants, road transport, defence, education, etc., were drawn to Delhi. Over one lakh women scheme workers – Aanganwadi workers, ASHA workers and Mid-day Meal workers from all the states of India participated in the dharna.
The Federation of IT Employees (FITE) in Maharashtra has been organising to oppose the massive layoffs in the IT industry. They successfully registered their organisation in Maharashtra, after having done so in Tamilnadu and Karntaka earlier. This was a great victory in the face of the bourgeoisie’s denial of IT employees’ right to unionise.
Guards of Indian Railways demonstrate all over India, 18th-20th January 2018 to protest against the anti-worker policies of the Railways management and the Central Government. Thousands of loco drivers participated in protest actions at all the crew lobbies. 20th November 2017 was observed as “All India Demands Day” and dharnas, rallies and public meetings were organised throughout the country. The All India Station Masters Association supported and participated in the dharna. They condemned the plan for handing over the Indian Railways into private hands. As recommended by the Bibek Debroy Committee – the government was moving ahead to divide the Indian Railway into different companies and corporations, make a trust to handle the large immoveable property, close down the schools and health centres and parcel out other work into privates hands.
19th July 2017 was declared as ‘Save public sector banks day’ by the United Forum of Bank Workers. More than 10 lakh bank workers belonging to nine unions of bank employees across public and private sector banks struck work again on 22 August 2017 to oppose the anti-people banking reforms, write-offs of corporate NPAs and increase in banking charges.
4 lakh Defence employees across 430 defense units all across the country boycotted food including tea on 11th January 2018 in support of their demand to stop privatisation and closure of defence establishments. The three recognized federations of defense employees and 39 other unions submitted four joint representations to the Defense Minister.
BSNL employees went on a two-day strike on 12th-13th December 2017 demanding that BSNL not divert and lease its towers to private operators and for wage revision. Massive demonstrations were held in front of all offices of BSNL across the country, with casual and contract workers also responding to the call of the BSNL Contract and Casual Workers Federation.
On November 20, 2017, government employees all over Rajasthan organised protest demonstrations and dharnas at their respective district headquarters, under the banner of the All Rajasthan State Employees Joint Committee in support of their 15-point charter of demands on the issues of contract system, privatisation, PPP model, and equal pay for similar work, regularisation of temporary workers, pension scheme, etc.
Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) workers declared an indefinite strike from 15th February 2018 to oppose the decision of the BEST management committee to hire buses from private contractors. They were also protesting a delay in payment of their salaries.
State transport workers Tamilnadu, Maharashtra and Haryana have struck work and pulled buses off the road repeatedly during the last one year or more.
Over 50,000 state transport workers in Tamil Nadu went on strike on 4th January 2018 demanding payment of their long pending arrears and for parity in wage increase with workers of other government departments. In October 2017, Maharashtra State Transport workers went on a five-day strike for wage revision. The united actions of the workers of Haryana Roadways in April 2017 had forced the Haryana government to concede some of the demands of the workers such as reversal of the new transport policy notified in February 2017 and the reinstatement of workers expelled during the course of their struggle.
Doctors, Nurses and Health Workers against privatisation and for minimum wages
Doctors and medical students all over the country organized a on 2nd April 2018. The agitation was against the privatisation of medical education and hospital care, and terrible conditions in government hospitals.
Thousands of nurses from private hospitals across Kerala struck work end of June 2017, continuing the same till August. They agitated for their right to a minimum wage of Rs.20000 per month as recommended by a Committee appointed by the Supreme Court in November 2016.
More than 800 Anganwadi, ASHA and mid-day meal workers took part in militant protest demonstrations in New Delhi on 19th January. They were protesting against being paid a mere honorarium instead of salary for their onerous work. They demanded recognition as workers, payment of minimum wages and other allowances and leave facilities.
Teachers protested against privatisation of education and for better working conditions
At the call of DUTA-FEDCUTA (Delhi University Teachers Association-Federation of Central Universities Teachers Associations), tens of thousands of students and teachers held a militant protest march on 28th March 2018. They were from Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Ismalia University, Ambedkar University and Aligarh Muslim University. They raised slogans against steps, like the Graded Autonomy Scheme, towards privatisation of higher education.
Rajasthan teachers and citizens opposed the move by the government to hand over 300 government schools, including some of the best, to private entities to operate under PPP model.
Guest teachers were in struggle to get fixed pay and benefits like maternity leave instead of working on day-to-day contracts. The 15,000 guest teachers in Delhi, like their counterparts in other states protested time and again in front of the Delhi Chief Minister’s office demanding permanent jobs.
International
|
Public services employees protesting against privatisation in France |
|
Health services works demonstrate against cut back in Britain |
|
Workers unite in struggle in Germany |
Strike movements are intensifying in France, with Paris regional transport, the energy and electricity industry, the auto industry, hospitals as well as among undocumented workers and school and day care workers out on the streets again on 19th April 2018.
On 22nd March 2018 – tens of thousands of train drivers, teachers, nurses, air traffic controllers and other public sector staff went on strike across France. For the first time, civil servants and railway staff also joined the strike. There were 180 street demonstrations nationwide. The workers came out in opposition to the changes in labour laws that the French government had begun in August 2017.
In Britain, thousands marched on the Prime Minister’s office on 3rd February 2018 to protest NHS funding shortages, as the health service suffers its worst ever winter crisis. “Keep your hands off our NHS,” they chanted as they marched. Earlier, in October 2017, thousands of people participated in a protest march in London and at various local NHS centres against the privatization of the National Health Service (NHS). The protest rally was organized in the wake of the concerted efforts of the British government to privatize the National Health Service, and close down various public hospitals.