Workers Organize ‘Oust Modi, Save Livelihood’ Campaign

AICCTU’s ‘Oust Modi, Save Jobs, Save Livelihood, Save Rights’ campaign began on 10 March 2019 with a joint meeting of the District Committees of AICCTU and Bihar State Construction Workers Union. Prior to this, meetings had been organized at about half a dozen neighbourhoods and Chowks.

On 17 March a District level AICCTU workers’ convention on issues like anti-worker amendments to labour laws, employment, social security, right to unionize, and peace instead of war was held at Gandhi Pratishthan, Bhagalpur in which workers’ representatives from the unorganized sector participated in large numbers.

Addressing the convention, AICCTU National Vice President and AICWF National General Secretary SK Sharma discussed the Modi government’s anti-worker policies in detail. He pointed out how Modi works only for the benefit of Adani, Ambani and other corporate houses. Workers’ rights have been crushed in the name of ‘reform’. Already low job opportunities have been further drastically cut. The wages of labour have been reduced in a conspiracy to push the working class into slavery. Such a government must be thrown out, as it is dangerous for the country if they remain in power.

AICCTU State and District Secretary Mukesh Mukt said that during a span of 5 years this government has imposed Company Raj in the country and has handed over the people’s wealth and resources to profiteering corporate houses. He stressed that it is time to teach this anti-worker government a resounding lesson and throw them out of power.

It was announced at the convention that an intensive campaign would be carried out to appeal to the people not to vote for Modi and his party, to boycott the ‘Godi Media’ (lapdog media) and to throw this government out of power. 79 women and men workers’ representatives from various trades in the unorganized sector attended the convention.

A zone level AICCTU convention was organized at Navgachhiya on 24 March on these issues. The convention was addressed by SK Sharma, CPIML District Secretary Bindeshwari Mandal, AIARLA District President Purushottam Das, senior leader Suresh Kunwar and labour leader Kanhaiya Singh. The campaign concluded on 31 March with a workers’ meeting at Bihpur Block. The meeting was attended by hundreds of construction workers.