A Seminar on “Right to Strike and Disinvestment” was organised by ‘Karnataka Labour Representatives Forum’ at Bangalore on 16 November. The seminar was addressed by Sukomol Sen, All India State Government Employees Federation, K.N.Chandru, senior advocate from Chennai, who represented Tamil Nadu government employees in the court, P.R.Chabaque, former all-India Convenor of Central Government Employees Federation. Shankar also addressed the seminar on behalf of AICCTU along with the state leaders of CITU, AITUC, HMKP and Senior advocate Narasimhan and leaders of bank and other government employees’ organisations. Vasutha Rai spoke on Disinvestment. The seminar was presided by Mr.Subba Rao, President of the forum.
Mr. Sukomol Sen explained about the signature campaign with a memorandum to be submitted to the Parliament signed by about 5 crore people by December, 2003 urging the Parliament to ratify the relevant ILO conventions so that the government employees and other sections of workers shall enjoy full trade union rights, including the right to strike. Mr. Chandru elaborated on the fallacy of the Constitution being nullified by the SC ruling. He stressed that the right to strike should be made a fundamental right, recognition of unions mandatory and unions should be given the concomitant rights, including the right to scrutinize the black and white accounts. Shankar, CCM, CPI(ML), spoke on the linkages between globalisation, liberalisation policies and the retrograde judgements of various courts. He stressed the need to go for waves of all-India strikes to nullify the effects of SC judgement rather than going for reviews and petitions. Mr.P.R.Chabaque came down heavily on the ill-treatment being meted out to employees as second grade citizens.