Foundation Day message of ITEF President

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
ON THE EVE OF THE 62ND FOUNDATION DAY OF ITEF.

As in February 2013, this year too, our Federation day is to be followed by a 48 hour strike action at the call of the Confederation of Central Government employees and workers. The 12th December, 2012 one day strike action in which cent per cent of the ITEF members took part generated the sanctions which compelled the Government to announce in September, 2013 the setting up of the 7th CPC. The UPA Government must have expected the CGEs to be euphoric over the announcement and thus make political gains in the following legislative assembly elections of various States . The employees rightly recognising the post dated cheque ensured that the party in power realises the reward for chicanery. On 12th December, 2012 the dominant organisations of both Railways and Defence stayed away from action. When the issue and the strike action gained momentum the leadership of those organisations decided to seek the mandate of the common workers through an opinion poll. The response of the common Railway workers was magnificent. They voted overwhelmingly for strike action for they know that without which the wage revision of Central Government employees with a periodicity of five years as is the case with the public and private sector workers would not come about. A joint movement of the entirety of Central Government employees was the expectation but did not emerge. The reluctance to tread the path of struggle was writ at large. Confederation having realised that the joint movement having turned into a mirage decided to call upon its members to organise 48 hour strike on 12th and 13th February, 2014 when both the Railway and Defence workers will again be (unfortunately) spectators.

The last five years, the UPA II was in power was the period the neo- liberal economic policies were operated at its peak. The common people of our country was at the receiving end of the pernicious policy . Incessant rise in the prices of all commodities, unbridled inflation, rising unemployment, deprivation, penury and poverty, the withdrawal of welfare measures introduced earlier to provide succour to the working people one by one were its hallmark. The people responded to every call for struggle directed against the economic policies, be it from the Trade Unions or of the political parties.. The united platform of Trade Unions which spearheaded the resistance movement against the neo-liberal policies grew in size and stature. In the State elections held in November/December, the people voted decisively to defeat the Indian National Congress which leads the political outfit called UPA.

Back home at our departmental level, I am afraid that the fabric of unity we assiduously built over the years with toils and sacrifices is on the verge of terrific tension. Most of us are saddened over the developments over the issue of allocation of the additional posts created on account of the cadre restructuring and review. We were the first to have the cadre review exercise completed and get the nod of the Government (after the 6th CPC) for creation of over 20,000 posts. It was the result and reflection of our unity and strength manifested magnificently on several occasions, especially during the general strike actions of the workers in the country. We sat hours together, deliberated in detail, consciously compromised to arrive at a consensus. We must ensure that the consensus so reached unanimously prevails. We cannot afford to lose our unity except at our peril. We must come out of the piquant situation that has been engineered to demolish and destroy us.

Viewed from that perspective, the 12th and 13th February strike provides us with a fine opportunity to rekindle the spirit of unity and prove that the capacity to struggle alone make an organisation strong. We are called upon to establish that, despite difficulties created by canard, half- truths and blatant lies, we will stand united and ITEF shall remain the most militant trade union organisation.

I appeal to every one of you on this solemn occasion of the 62nd foundation day of our Federation to uphold the spirit of unity and struggle and march into a better and brighter tomorrow.

ASHOK SALUNKHE

President