Anti-Worker Laws Have to Go: CITU Leader Tapan Sen

NEW DELHI: The unprecedented success of the national bandh called by trade unions has made the government sit up and take notice. As this promises to be the next big agitation---after the kisans and the ex-servicemen--- with workers clearly agitated about the proposed labour reforms that are perceived as cutting further into their rights and livelihood.

The Citizen spoke to Rajya Sabha MP and General Secretary Centre of Indian Trade Unions Tapan Sen, about nationwide bandh on September 2, the blueprint to achieve their marked demands and future plans. Sen claimed that there is no looking back and they will not let the labour reforms come into effect. Excerpts :

Q: Was the response on September 2, to the nationwide bandh unexpected?

A: Yes ! It was unexpected and beyond our expectations. We have limited organizational reach.however the response to bandh was universal. People from every background supported and came forward to make it a success. This shows the discontent among people on the streets. .

Q: Is a workers agitation going to be the next big thing on the political landscape?

A: Yes. It has to be in the country’s political landscape The trade unions movement is the only constant force in the current political scenario, that is showing constant discontent. The platform of the trade unions widened over the past few years. This has happened cutting across party lines. People want to keep their political affiliations aside for a larger cause. Employees of the banking sector and transport sector all have a different set of problems and they have joined us. The main thing is that there is discontent and that has come out in the open on September 2.

Q:. What is your main demand?

A: Our ultimate demand is to protest the proposed Labour reforms. It is absolutely against labour welfare. The new set of proposed changes that has been planned to introduce in the name of reform is actually exploitation of labour rights. The labours need to get social security. They need to have work safety. There is nothing that is being taken care of. The proposed changes have just been incorporated for the gain of the employee.

Q: What is the minimum that you will settle for, short of the entire wish list?

A:The labour laws proposal need to be scrapped. The so called tripartite agreements need to be done de novo encompassing and covering each and every point as we want. The criteria of minimum wage for the workers should be given as per our demand.

Q. What other constituencies will you reach out to, farmers perhaps?

A:Farmers are very much part of this agitation. We have registered the opposition of land reforms bill and the distress of farmers, price rise is just not about price rise it is about containing price and universalising the Public Distribution System.

Q: How are planning to mobilise the workforce of organised and unorganised sector for the agitation ?

A: We have been mobilizing for long. Literature in thousands has been distributed. And people have similar discontent as us that they have expressed through the countrywide joint campaign. We have also been organizing meetings and several organizations and people to people contacts have also been established for mobilisation. So this is already going on for long and will be continued.