Mamohan's assurances do not melt CTUs

New Delhi, Aug 21: Asserting that there was no change in their plans for a nationwide strike on December 14, the central trade unions today criticised the UPA government for its 'silence' on several workers concerns-mainly the attacks on the existing benefits and its abdication of welfare measures.

However, during their first formal meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Saturday evening, the leaders of the TUs expressed satisfaction that the government did make promises on releasing pending wages of workers in public sector undertakings, revisiting the bonus issue and constituting a Consumer Price Index Review Committee among other things.

CITU President M K Pandhe told UNI that the representatives of the TUS including the BMS and INTUC reminded the PM of all the" unfulfilled commitments" of the CMP- the legislation on social security for agricultural and 370 million unorganised workers, no disinvestment of profit- making PSUs, Women Reservation Bill, revival of the sick industries and rampant violation of labour laws in the Special Economic Zones.

"We have also invited Dr Manmohan Singh's attention towards the fact that even after the passage of 27 months of the Congress-led government the assurances on the workers front have failed to materialise," Mr Pandhe said.

The veteran TU leader said the workers were greatly upset with the move to give a blanket exemption to the textile exporting industry from provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act and allowing weekly working hours to be increased from 48 to 60 hours.

The CITU leader also said even the Congress- affliated INTUC president told the PM that there was no justification for employing workers on contract only to help the employers and the MNCs.

He said the workers leaders also pointed towards the 'Wholesale Price Index' which he said was " faulty" and did not reflect the ground reality. They also referred to the move on' hire and fire' and weakening of the PDS.

AITUC General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said the PM's promises and commitments to write to the CMs at the forthcoming National Development Council in October and look into the labour laws violations was " inadequate." " The genesis of the workers concerns still remains. There is no concrete assurance on implementation of labour laws," the AITUC leader added.

AITUC Secretary D L Sachdev said there was no question of making any change in the scheduled nationwide strike on December 14 as the PM remained " silent" on other crucial issues- the reduction in the EPF rate, the withdrawal of the existing Pension Scheme of the government employees and the Right to strike.

Mr Sachdev said the PM had also assured the TUs leaders that the government would consider the setting up of a Working Group consisting of all the stake holders to suggest concrete ways for moving forward on all the issues discussed in the meeting.

"Even the PM admitted at the meeting that the Bonus Act had become outdated and has assured that the government will consider it and take a favourable decision on it," the TUs leaders said.

They said the PM had also made a promise that he would come out with a Bill to take care of agricultural and unorganised workers.

The PM emphasised that'' we have to concentrate more and more on the manufacturing sector as despite the country's 2/3 population depending on agriculture, it now contributed only 20 per cent to country's total income.'' " If you have to improve the quality of life of those depending on agriculture, new job opportunities have to be found out for them," Mr Sachdev said quoting the PM.

UNI