Millions of employees, teachers and workers across the country joined the strike on 29 September 2005 to express strong disapproval of the UPA Government’s anti-people economic policies 4 and proposed anti-worker labour reforms. The strike was jointly called by the AISGEF, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers, teachers’ organizations, several national federations of bank, insurance and other sectors and several central trade unions. This is the biggest protest action, the country has ever seen, since the ushering in of the policies of capitalist globalization, braving threats from authorities and arrests. The strike was successful in almost all the ports of the country. The strike totally affected insurance and banking sectors, oil and telecommunication sectors across the country. 70% of the six lakh coal mining workers struck from work. Production in defence industries was almost paralyzed. All domestic airlines were forced to cancel or curtail services on major routes as 20,000 airport workers under Airport Authority of India struck work to protest the privatization of Delhi and Mumbai airports.

Central trade unions have termed the response to the strike as ‘unprecedented’ with about 6 crore workers from both organized and unorganized sectors joining the strike. AISGEF along with other national federations and central trade unions have said that this historic strike is a stern warning to the Government against its anti-people policies otherwise the working class would be compelled to launch much bigger struggles. Students, youth, farmers, women and other fraternal organizations also supported the strike call. The strike was near total in the financial sector with more than 95 per cent of the 1.3 million bank and insurance employees participating in the strike.

XII National Conference Pledges to Intensify Struggles Against Imperialist Globalisation

XII National Conference of AISGEF was held in M R Appan Nagar, Kolkata from 29 December’05 to 1 January 2006 with full success.

About 3000 delegates belonging to all the affiliates of 22 States of India participated. The Conference was attended by 18 fraternal foreign delegates from South Africa, Vietnam, Srilanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Conference was preceded by a historic rally of the West Bengal Government employees on 28 December’05 held at Brigade Parade Ground, Kolkata which was attended by about 2 lakhs employees from all parts of the State including retired government employees.

XII Conference of AISGEF

Lulamile Sotaka (from South Africa), President of TUI of Public & Allied Employees inaugurated the Conference. He specially referred to worldwide struggle against imperialism and globalization.

Sri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya Chief Minister of West Bengal addressed the Conference as the Guest-in-Chief. He was critical of globalization and observed that the government employees are like family members. Thereafter several other invited trade union leaders and guests addressed the Conference. H Mahadevan, Secretary, WFTU, in-charge of Asia Pacific office, Delhi read out the greetings from George Marvikos, General Secretary, WFTU and also spoke on his own behalf. MK Pandhe, President, CITU also addressed the Conference.

In the delegate session General Secretary, AISGEF presented his Report. He explained the salient points of the Report .

A total of 56 delegates representing various state organizations spoke on General Secretary’s Report. Thereafter General Secretary summed up the discussion and stressed on the organizational issues. He appreciated discussion of the most of the delegates which indicated their deep concern for the working class struggle and AISGEF’s organizational unity. He urged that the coming years the AISGEF should intensify its struggle for Right to Strike and stopping Privatization of Pension.

The Report was unanimously adopted. Constitutional amendments and a total of 27 resolutions were unanimously adopted including the policy and programme resolution, on restoration of democracy in Nepal and against Neo-Liberal Globalization.

The office bearers were also elected unanimously. These included Chairman -RG Karnik, Hony President - Ajoy Mukhopadhyay, General Secretary - Sukomal Sen and Assistant General Secretaries - Smarajit Roy Chowdhury and R Muthusundaram.

Special Session of Women’s Problems was held on 31.12.2005. where a total 20 women comrades took part in the discussion.


The AISGEF conducts struggles for protecting the trade union and democratic rights of the government employees and teachers and to promote their economic and social well being. The last major programme implemented by AISGEF was the All India General Strike on 11 December’ 98 unitedly with 56 national level mass organisations and trade unions of the country against the onslaught of globalisation and neo-liberal economy and for defending secularism and democracy from the offensive of communal and religious fundamentalist forces and all conspiracies of imperialism to weaken national unity and integrity. More than five million state employees participated in the strike. Incidentally AISGEF firmly believe in united movement of the working class and it is an active component of National Platform of Mass organisations consisting of 56 trade unions & mass organisations.

Besides strikes and other actions, AISGEF also regularly conducts Seminars and Symposium to educate and enlighten the employees of different national and international issues. The AISGEF successfully observed All India Protest day on 23 March, 1999 by holding rallies and demonstrations at all levels of the country against the World Bank-IMF-WTO dictated disastrous economic policies of the Government and the depredation of the communal and religious fundamentalist forces.

Tenth National Conference Calls for United Struggle Against Neo-liberal Globalisation

The tenth National Conference of All India State Government Employees’ Federation was successfully held at Mumbai from 27 - 30 December 1999 through enthusiastic attendance of 2500 delegates and observers representing 80,00,000 state government employees and teachers all over the country. Foreign fraternal delegates from South Africa, Vietnam,Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh also attended. Representatives from fraternal organisations and central trade unions also attended the Conference. The Conference gave a call for united struggle against neo-liberal globalisation which is playing havoc with the lives of workers. Increasing unemployment, retrenchment, downsizing, privatisation, abolishing of vacant posts and of denial of due financial and promotional benefits to employees were severely criticised in the Conference. R.G.Karnik and Sukomal Sen were unanimously re-elected Chairman and General Secretary respectively for another term. The Conference stressed the need of raising the level of consciousness of the employees and workers at the grass-root level towards an all encompassing onslaught to protect the rights of the working class.

March to Parliament on 9 March

On 9 March 2000, New Delhi witnessed a massive protest march of a million people from all over the country against the anti-people economic, social and political policies of the Central Government at the behest of World Bank-IMF -W.T.O. Marchers included industrial workers, labours from unorganised sectors, employees from central and state governments, teachers, local bodies, boards, corporations, banks, insurance, agricultural labours, students, youths and women representating a wide cross section of the society. The March was formally called by the National Platform of Mass Organisations an umbrella organisation comprising of 56 mass and trade union organisations of which All India state Government Employees’ Organisation is a prime constituent. The rally resolved to observe countrywide general strike on 11 May 2000 against the anti-national policies of the Government and appealed to all to make it a grand success.

Historic countrywide strike of 11 May

Almost the whole of India virtually came to a standstill on 11 May 2000 in spontaneous observance of the nationwide strike call given by the National Platform of Mass Organisations (NPMO) representing 56 mass organisations, of which All India State Government Employees' Federation is an important constituent. Cutting across the artificial barriers of class, creed and religion, people from all walks of life joined the countrywide strike against the disastrous anti-people policies of the Central Government thereby creating a record of sorts in terms of mass participation. This should be seen as a manifestation of the peoples' protest against the sell out the country to multinational corporations at the dictates of World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation. Several million of employees and teachers belonging to state governments and local bodies joined the strike call given by the All India State Government Employees' Federation.

AISGEF Programme

Countrywide Strike of 16th April, 2002

The 16th April 2002 strike called by the Central and State Public Sector Undertakings, Banks, Insurance, Coal, Port and State Government employees brought the nation to a standstill. The response to this nationwide strike has been spontaneous and substantial. Almost all major central trade unions along with All India State Government Employees’ Federation joined the successful strike, making it one of the biggest protest actions against the Central and some State Governments’ policies of privatisation, downsizing, retrenchment, anti-worker amendments in labour laws and closure of public sector industrial units.

Nearly 10 million public sector employees struck work. About 5 million State employees participated in the nationwide strike and day long mass squatting. Strike was complete in West Bengal, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and in Andhra Pradesh where the entire state public sector employees have joined the strike. In Haryana, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh state employees took part in day long mass saquattintg. In some States private sector industrial unions also joined the strike. The strike also had its impact in Manipur. In Punjab and Haryana, the banks and insurance sector employees participated in the strike. In Chandigarh, employees of Electricity Departrment also joined in strike.

21 May 2003– biggest nationwide strike witnessed since independence

India witnessed its biggest strike action since independence as millions of workers and employees across the country took part in the strike on 21 May 2003. Almost all the  central trade unions and federations including the AISGEF had jointly called the strike. The eight point demands included a halt of privatization and downsizing of government departments, restoration of economic benefits to employees and workers, filing up of vacant posts, halting anti-employee changes in labour laws etc. This is the eight general strike by the working class of India against the imperialist globalization since 1991. 

More than eighty million workers and employees consciously took part in the strike to register their protest against the anti-people policies being pursued by the Central and several State governments at the dictates of the World  Bank-IMF-WTO. Employees and workers from various sectors including financial institutions, ports, mines, electricity coal, oil, power, bank, insurance, telecom, fertilizer, iron and steel, public sector units, transport (including rail and road) along with State and Central government establishments contributed to the success of the strike. Millions of workers belonging to unorganized sectors also joined the strike. Farmers, students, youth and women organizations expressed solidarity through various support programmes on that day. In many states the protest took the shape of a general strike through spontaneous participation of the masses. The success of the strike reflected firm rejection of the inhuman exploitations let lose on the people in the name of globalization by the imperialist forces. In the State sector, more than five million employees of State government, State public undertakings, and local bodies actively participated in the strike.

The strike receive international solidarity and support from the following organizations:-

1.      World Federation of Trade Unions
2.      Japan Federation of Public Service Employees’ Union (Kokko-Roren)
3.      CIG-Confederacion Intersindical Galega – Spain
4.      All Pakistan Trade Union Federation
5.      PancyprianTrade Union of Government/Military and Social Institutes servants PA.SY.E.K.P.E.O.
 
AISGEF and the convening trade unions warmly congratulated the working class and the general public of the country for making the strike a grand success. The trade unions urged the government and the corporate sector to take lesson from the challenging success of the strike and change these anti-worker policies. The working fraternity of the nation was also called upon to brace themselves for more intense and sustained struggles in the coming days if such changes do not come through.

NATIONAL CONVENTION
 JOINTLY HELD BY
ALL INDIA STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES FEDERATION
AND
CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
AT
MAVALANKAR   AUDITORIUM
25 SEPTEMBER, 2003

DECLARATION

The recent Supreme Court observation that government employees have no ‘Fundamental, Statutory/Equitable/Moral Right’ to strike and unprecedented repression on the striking state employees and teachers of Tamilnadu and also the observation that ‘the Jayalalitha government has sent a tough message that mal-administration cannot be caused in this way' - have come as a rude shock and utter surprise to the entire community of working class and especially the Central and State Govt. employees.

The working class and the employees take to the path of strike only when all other avenues for amicable settlement of the grievances fail. In the present phase of the country’s economy, closure, retrenchment, downsizing resulting in formidable unemployment and drastic cut in economic and social security benefits including pension have become common features. All sections of workers and employees including the government employees and teachers are gravely suffering as a consequence.  

Already, severe downsizing is taking place in Central Government and State Government departments, few Central Govt. offices have already been totally closed down or going to be closed down. Many of the Govt. functions have been privatized, some departments in some states have been corporatised and appointment of employees and teachers on contract and fixed pay basis replacing regular employment is taking place on many occasions. 

Drastic cut in pensionary benefits are also being effected in certain states. Tamilnadu is one glaring example where against this drastic cut of pensionary benefits the employees and teachers were forced to launch an indefinite strike since 2 July’03 when all other avenues for amicable settlement failed.

Central Government has already declared privatizing the pension of those who joined service from October 2002 and asked the State governments to follow suit. This is a serious attack on the social security benefit like pension of the Govt. employees and they are made dependent on the vagaries of share market so far as their pension is concerned. Many other economic benefits earned earlier have already been cut down.

It is extremely shocking that when Tamilnadu employees and teachers went on strike since 2 July’03 against the drastic pension cut, the State Govt. outrageously violating all rules and norms outrightly dismissed about 2,00,000 employees and several thousand others. This is an unimaginably brutal repression let loose on the striking employees and teachers of Tamilnadu which is unparalleled in the history of trade union struggle in the entire world. 

And most unfortunately, the Division Bench of the Supreme Court instead of quashing down the illegal dismissal orders and barbaric punishments imposed on the employees, issued a ruling which is more shocking and surprising not only to the Govt. employees but to the entire working class and all democratic minded people of the country.

This Convention strongly demands that all the barbaric measures taken against the employees and teachers of Tamilnadu be forthwith withdrawn and the infamous Supreme Court ruling be reversed.   

This Convention would like to draw attention of the Govt. and the public that while Division Bench of the Supreme Court has observed that the Govt. employees have no right to strike, the International Labour Organization – a tripartite body of the UN system, of which India is a founder member, has repeatedly opined differently.

The ILO in its Conventions No. 87, 98, 154 and 151 have accepted these rights. Convention No. 151, which is exclusively meant for the public service, has specifically mandated that ‘public employees shall have, as other workers, the civil and political rights which are essential for the normal exercise of freedom of association, subject only to the obligation arising from their status and the nature of function’.

Most unfortunately, the Government of India has not yet ratified these Conventions.

This Convention, therefore, earnestly appeals that Parliament of India may discuss the matter urgently, and express its views for the ratification by the Government of India of these important ILO Conventions at the earliest so that the Government employees of India enjoy full trade union rights including the right to strike like their counterparts in UK, France and many other countries.

This Convention also requests that the present set of conduct and other service rules, which are the legacies of the British colonial rule may be scrapped forthwith and new rules, as directed by Article 309 of the Constitution may be framed for Government employees according democratic and T.U. rights including right to strike.

This Convention unanimously decides to submit a Mass Petition to the Parliament of India signed by about 5 crores of by December, 2003 urging the Parliament to ratify the relevant ILO Conventions so that the Government employees and other sections of the workers shall enjoy full trade union rights including the right to strike. This Convention earnestly appeals to all citizens for their sincerest cooperation to make the submission of Mass Petition a historic success.

This Convention resolves unanimously, that since the working class world over established their trade union rights by ceaseless struggles and sacrifices, the most anti-worker ruling of the Division Bench of  the Supreme Court should be opposed by a united nationwide strike and appeals to all organizations of the State and Central employees to prepare their rank and file of the membership for such a strike action at the earliest by organizing statewide and district wide conventions, campaigns, etc. demanding of the Government to ratify the relevant ILO Conventions particularly Convention No. 151 for according the Govt. employees, trade union, democratic and political rights including the right to strike.

This Convention authorises the Sectt. of the two organizations to fix the specific date for such a strike action in consultation with the other sections of the working class in the country. The Convention strongly appeals the Central and State employees and teachers to wholeheartedly join the strike and urges upon other trade unions also to join so that the nationwide strike becomes a totally united working class action.

March to Parliament 7 December 2004

A huge March to Parliament for submission of Mass Petition demanding Right to Strike on 7 December 2004 was the call given by the National Convention organized by AISGEF, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers and teachers organizations held at Delhi on 24 September 2004.

Employees and teachers demand Right to strike through massive March to Parliament

Government employees and teachers added yet another glorious chapter in their illustrious history of struggle as over fifty thousand joined the March to Parliament Rally at New Delhi on 7th December 2004 demanding Right to Strike. Following the rally, the mass petition with over 4 crore signatures (4 crore two thousand five hundred) collected from far flung corners of the country was submitted to Shri Somnath Chaterjee, the Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha demandling Right to Strike. Never before in the history of the working class movement in the country a mass campaign of this magnitude had been organized for a democratic and trade union demand like Right to Strike. This was the biggest agitation programme initiated by the government employees and teachers following the 24 February 2004 all India general strike.

The March to Parliament programme was jointly organized by the All India State Government Employees Federation, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers and teachers’ organizations – AIFUCTO and STFL. All India Insurance Employees’ Association also joined the mass signature collection drive.

The March started from Ram Lila Grounds and passed through Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg and Tolstoy Marg. Representatives of various fraternal organizations and Members of Parliament also joined the March.

The rallyl was intercepted near Jantar Mantar by a large contingent of police force. There a short meeting was held in which leaders from various organizations addressed the delegates. Speakers urged the assembly to carry forward their struggle until the Right to Strike is accorded. The Union Government was also insisted not to overlook the trade union and democratic demand of Right to Strike and to take necessary steps in this regard at the earliest.

Thereafter a delegation of the organizing unions met the Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Somnath Chaterjee, and handed over a book containing 2500 signatures as specimen. The rest of the bundles of Mass Petitions were lifted by Parliament staff from Banga Bhavan, New Delhi as arranged. The Speaker assured the delegation that he would inform the Prime Minister and Chairman, Petitions Committee of Parliament to do the needful in this regard.

The successful March to Parliament Rally and the submission of Mass Petition to the Hon’ble Speaker was a manifestation of the increasing working class maturity and its progressive readiness to unitedly organize themselves for their democratic and trade union rights.