On 1 April, the government of Chhattisgarh had raised the minimum wage however, it was reduced by Rs. 50 on 1 May under pressure from capitalists. A joint dharna was held by the trade unions on 19 May 2017 at Budhatalab, Raipur against the Chhattisgarh Government’s measure cutting the minimum wage. The dharna was addressed by labour leaders including comrades Brijendra Tiwari, Bhimrao Bagde, JP Nair, and Manoj Kosare from AICCTU. Trade unions and organizations including HMS, Chhattisgarh Shramik Manch, Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, Daily Wage Workers’ Association, and Class III Government Employees’ Association participated in the dharna.
Nagri Nikaay Janwadi Safai Kamgar Sangh (Municipality Sanitation Workers) held a conference on 25 May 2017 at Karma Bhawan, Supela, Bhilai. The conference started with tributes paid to comrades martyred in workers’ struggles, after which Com JP Nair read the CPI(ML) message delivered on the occasion of 50 years of Naxalbari. The conference was inaugurated by AICCTU National Secretary Com. Brijendra Tiwari. Earlier on 24 May a rally was taken out which culminated in a meeting at Ravan Bhata, Supela. The conference elected a 31-member National Executive with comrades Manoj Kosare and Gajanand Jangde as Secretary and President respectively. The conference resolved to fight for equal pay for equal work, implementation of labour laws, and for strengthening and extending the organization.
AICCTU organized a workers’ rights conference on 4 June at Karma Bhawan, Supela. General Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Theka va Kamgar Mahasangh (Contract Workers) Rambali Prasad was the Chief Guest. Delegates from Durg, Raipur, Bilaspur, Korba, Rajnandgaon and Kawardha participated in the conference. A 19-member convening committee was constituted and JP Nair was elected Convener. It was decided at the conference to organize a dharna and signature campaign on 11 July on a 6-point charter of demands for contract and honorarium workers. The following are the demands: regularize all contract and honorarium workers; end the system of appointment on contract and honorarium basis; implement ‘equal pay for equal work’ in the light of the Supreme Court verdict; give government employee status to all workers employed in all the schemes; guarantee strict implementation of labour laws; guarantee respectable terms of employment and social security.
