A vast section of employees in the public sector as well as the private sector resorted to agitations in 2003 to make their managements see reason. The highlight of the protests was the ‘March to Parliament’ on 26 February by about 200,000 workers from across the country in protest against the “anti-labour” policies of the central government. There were protests by health workers, school and college teachers, radio and Doordarshan staff, fish workers, bank employees and tea garden workers. There was even the novel protest of “begging” by Bihar teachers to press their demands. The following is the month-wise list of labour agitations in the year 2003.

Janaury         

Corporation Workers/Employees Mahasangh  

Employees belonging to Boards, Corporations and co-operative institutions of the Punjab government held a state-level  protest rally at Matka Chowk, Chandigarh on 16 Janaury demanding, rejection of the Vaishnav Commission’s Report, reversal of the decision to roll back allowances and reduction in pay and withdrawal of the anti-employee budget proposals.

Dunlop Factory Employees Union (DFEU)       

DUNLOP India Ltd, Chennai workers staged a demonstration, burnt the effigy of the Dunlop Director, disrupted traffic and courted arrest  on 24 January as a protest for the  delay in implementing a settlement concluded in October 2002. The settlement had provided for recommencement of operations and a voluntary retirement scheme at the company’s facility at Ambattur.

February       

The BHPV National Employees Union     

Employees of the Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Limited (BHPV), Visakhapatnam, staged a protest in the capitalon 25 February  demanding revision of wages which was agreed to in October 2001. Workers also demanded that BHPV, a pioneering company in engineering industry and known for its quality and sophisticated equipment production, should be provided with work orders on nominated basis from the defence and other public sector undertakings.

Disabled Rights Group        

To observe the 7th anniversary of the enactment of the Disability Act, 1995 a day-long dharna was held outside the office of Confederation of Indian Industry on 7 February. The group decided to have a month-long campaign against the private sector’s “callous attitude” towards disability issues.

Joint Coordination Committee of the Employees        

Employees of Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan Kendra observed a fast on 25 February to protest the failure of Prasar Bharati authorities to fulfill their demands. The demands included a special package for the employees working under great risk and compensation to employees who are forced to work beyond their working hours.

Central Trade Unions         

On 26 February, over 200,000 people participated in a march to Parliament in protest against the government’s anti-labour policies. Workers from all over the country, carrying banners and flags of their unions shouted slogans and aired their anger towards the government. The rally unanimously adopted a declaration highlighting an 8-point charter of demands of the working class. it also decided that on 12 March there will be a wider consultation meting of the trade unions to take steps to broadbase the struggle against the governments policies.

Hindustan Lever Sramik Karmachari Congress

Three workers of Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) went on a 10-day hunger-strike on 18 July. They threatened to turn it into an indefinite hunger strike if the lockout at the company’s garden reach factory was not lifted. The workmen were compelled to take action as all effort on their part to influence the HLL management to withdraw the lockout since 22 March and the appeal to the West Bengal government to prohibit it failed.

March

National United Forum Against Privatisation of Oil PSUs        

On 25 March, thousands of workers belonging to HPCL and BPCL held a nationwide strike to oppose the privatisation of the two oil PSUs. The strike was called by 26 trade unions of HPCL and BPCL to demand reversal of the decision of the Union government to privatise HPCL through strategic sale and BPCL through public offer.

April

BHEP Workers         

The two-month-long strike by about 4,000 workers of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s Bagliar Hydro-electric Power Project ended on 9 April when an agreement was signed by the JP industries,  repreentatives of the workers and the divisional administration to recall all retrenched workers. The workers got 50 per cent wages of the strike period immediately and 25 per cent after two months.

May    

All India Bank Officers Association       

On 2 May, work in all public sector banks in Madhya Pradesh including the capital Bhopal was severely affected due to the nationwide bank strike called by the All India Bank Officers Association. The bank employees were demanding wage revision, pension benefits and reduction in interest rate for bank staff. They demonstrated in front of the various banks and shouted slogans against the Centre and threatened to go on indefinite strike if their demands were not met.

June   

All India CGHS Employees Association  

The three-hour daily strike of 7,000 health workers of the central government health scheme (CGHS) in 14 states was called off on 3 June following an assurance from the government that it would not withdraw the Rs 690 patient care allowance of the non-dispensary staff. The strike, which began on 26 May, affected 3 million CGHS patients throughout the country.

MICO Employees Association      

The five-day strike of about 3,000 workers of the Bangalore plant of Motor Industries Company Ltd (MICO) ended on 27 June after an understanding was reached on wage increase by the management and the AITUC-affiliated MICO Employees Association. The company also agreed to pay Rs 20,000 as ex-gratia for retiring workers and a compensaion of Rs. 125,000 to the families of those workers who die in harness.

July    

Punjab Recorders Workers Union

Members of the Punjab Recorders Workers Union, a PSU, established in 1977, went  on a relay fast on 23 July alleging that they were facing starvation, as they had not been paid their salaries for over five months. The workers were not paid bonus for the past three years and overtime for the past four months. The employees’ provident fund or ESI amounts were also not deposited by the management.

Non-teaching Employees of Universities and Colleges          

The 16—day strike of the non-teaching employees of universities and colleges in Bihar was called off on 16 July following an agreement between the Bihar State University and College Employees Federation and the state government. The workers had gone on striking demanding implementation of the central pay scale to the non-teaching employees from 1 January 1996. The strike was withdrawn when the government agreed to give central pay from March 1997. The authorities also assured that there will not be any victimisation of the  striking employees though the period of their absence from duty would be adjusted against their earned leave.

Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU)        

On 23 July, members PSMSU observed a two-hour pen-down strike in protest against the apathetic attitude of the state government towards the implementation of their demands. Their demands, which were accepted by the state government, included the change of designation of clerks and stenographers, removal of pay scale anomalies, opening of promotional channel from the clerk to the rank of Additional Director, recruitment of employees and payment of general provident fund at the level of drawing and disbursing officer.

Bihar Pradesh Secondary Teachers’ Association         

On 31 July, teachers of the financially unaided institutions in Bihar began ‘begging’ to protest the government’s unaided education policy. Their decision was to continue the novel protest for a month. They also announced that they would hold a ‘naked’ demonstration in New Delhi on Teachers’ Day (September 5) to protest the state government’s policy.

August          

Trade Unions and Labour Federations    

On August 18, several trade unions and labour federations staged a protest demonstration in front of the Supreme Court demanding the Centre to bring a constitutional amendment against the court’s judgment banning strike by government employees. The protestors describing the verdict as “illogical, undemocratic and unsustainable” decided to unanimously oppose the verdict.

The Punjab Government College Teachers Association          

On 22 August, government college teachers in Punjab  held a dharna in protest against the indifferent attitude of the government towards their demands. Their major demand was implementation of the UGC notification on counting past service for placement in the senior and selection grades. On the basis of the UGC instructions, if any teacher had served in a private college or a university as a lecturer before joining the government college teachers’ cadre, he or she was to be given the benefit of the earlier service while giving the senior or selection grade. But the state government was not doing so in the case of teachers. The association decided to wear black badges on Teachers’ Day.

Coordination Committee of Plantation Workers           

Tea workers across the Dooars and Terai struck work on 12 August demanding revision of wages, regularisation of rations, provident fund and basic amenities for tea garden labourers in North Bengal. Labourers of over 260 gardens across the Dooars and Terai gathered in front of the estates and held demonstrations and meetings to press their demands. Workers opted for strike to stop the continuous deterioration in the conditions of the labourers.

Trade Unions

Hundreds of employees and workers participated in a massive demonstartion before the Supreme Court on 18 August to protest against its judgement on right to strike of government employees. The strikes unanimously demanded a constitutional amendment to negate the judgement. The demonstration was done jointly by central trade unions except BMS and also various federations of bank, insurance, central government and telecom employees.

Madhya Pradesh Class III Government Employees Union and Laghu Vetan Karmchari Sangh  

Demanding dearness allowance at par with the central government employees and immediate implementation of the agreement between employees and the state government, different employees’ unions in Madhya Pradesh held a massive joint rally in Bhopal on 29 August. The rallyists also demanded immediate settling of disparities in salaries, ban on withdrawals from employees provident fund, bonus for Class Four employees and promotions as per the pre-decided promotion policy of the state government.

September

Fishermen  Federation     

Thousands of fishermen in the 560 km coastal stretch between Rameswaram and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu abstained from venturing into the sea on 5 September as they went on an indefinite strike demanding the release of 35 fishermen and their mechanised boats captured by the Sri Lankan Navy. Other demands included long lease of Katchatheevu, ceded to the island nation, permission for fishing in the traditional fishing areas and no interference while fishing from the Lankan Navy.

Executive Staff of FCI        

Executive staff of the Food Corporation of India from various parts of Punjab held a day-long dharna on 10 September in front of the regional office of the FCI in Chandigarh in support of their demands. Since most of the employees had been chargesheeted because of shortage of food grains, the rallyists demanded formulation of a uniform and scientific criterion to assess the loss of food grains in godowns and during transit.  The employees also demanded jobs for next of kin of the employees who die in harness.

Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union          

Teachers of private colleges held a rally at the Hindu College in Amritsar on 12 September demanding release of grants for private colleges which had led to the non-payment of their salaries for between three and nine months in more than 100 colleges. They threatened an ‘education bandh’ on 25 September if the government failed to meet their demands.

Employees of Airports Authority of India (AAI)           

Employees of Airport Authority of India, who were on a nationwide relay hunger strike for six days, called off their nationwide agitation on 23 September after the government set up a committee to look into the issue. The employees were on fast to ensure job security following the decision to privatise two metro airports. The Union Cabinet had approved on September 11 to restructure the Delhi and Mumbai airports through the joint venture route by forming a JV company in which the AAI would have an equity holding of 26 per cent and 74 per cent to be contributed by the private partner. The airports at Delhi and Mumbai would be given to the JV partner for an initial period of 30 years. It was also decided that the employees working at the existing airports would be initially transferred to the JV company on deputation for three years with the option to return to the AAI at the end of the deputation period or get absorbed in the JV company.

November    

National Federation of India Road Transport Workers

On 18 November, transport workers staged a sit-in against privatisation of public sector road transport. One of their major demands was adoption of an Integrated National Transport Policy with provision of favourable treatment to public sector.

Punjab Mulajam Sangarsh Committee   

Employees of several departments, boards and corporations from all parts of Punjab held a rally at the new Grain Market in Ludhiana on 18 November to protest against the anti-employee decision of Punjab and Central government on privatisation. Employees carrying flags and banners reached the grain market in buses, trucks, tempos and raised slogans  against the privatisation of 121 ITIs and 6 government polytechnics, dozens of boards and corporations, electricity board and state transport.

Himachal Pradesh Bank Employees Federation           

On 27 November, members of the Himachal Pradesh Bank Employees Federation staged a day-long dharna against the decisions of the government like the reduction of government equity through return of capital, buy-back of high-yielding government securities at market rate, utilisation of profits to write off non-performing assets and the decision to allow 74 per cent foreign direct investment in banks. The protesting bank employees said the decisions would spell doom for the indigenous banking industry.

December     

Joint Action Committee of ONGC Employees    

The 12-day strike by ONGC employees against the oil major’s management was called off on 24 August after the management gave a written assurance on agreeing to their demands. The joint action committee formed by ONGC unions had struck work at Mumbai offshore and offices after an MI-172 helicopter crashed at the Mumbai offshore killing 25 ONGC employees and two employees of the helicopter company, Mescos. The unions had demanded monetary compensation to the victims’ families and action against the Chairman and Managing Director for neglecting previous helicopter security breaches.

National United Forum Against Privatisation of Oil PSUs.      

On 16 December, more than 150,000 petroleum workers of oil public sector unions affiliated to 76 unions went on a 24-hour nationwide strike against the government’s policy of privatisation of the highly profitable and cash rich PSUs. The workers threatened to go on an indefenite strike if the central government decided to continue with its plan of privatising the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.

Central Trade Unions         

The jute industry workers of West Bengal went on an indefinite strike from 29 December in response to call made by 15 central trade unions. As many as 59 integrated jute mills in the state stopped production when more than 250,000 workers of the jute industry responded to the strike call given by trade unions. The unions were demanding decentralisation of the NJMC mills. The other demands included dilution of the Jute Packaging Materials Act. The unions wanted Dearness Allowance to be paid with retrospective effect from February 2002. DA had increased by around 134 points since then. Bonus and flexible bonus for 2002-03 were also demanded by the unions. Unions were also demanding payment of arrears since 1998. The other demands submitted by the trade unions include regular payments of workers’ provident fund, ESI and abolition of contract labour.