24Th Session of the All-India Trade Union Congress, Calcutta, May 27
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§ ★ Report & Resolutions ★ (AldlTl. MAI 3^-29, 1954 CONTENTS APPEAL TO ALL WORKERS AND TRADE UNIONS FOR UNITY REVIEW OF THE 24TH SE;^ION — by S. A. Dange 5 PREPARATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH OF V. CHAKKARAI CHETTIAR 29 GREETINGS TO THE SESSION 36 REPORT OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY 43 I. Vigilance against Warmongers 43 II. Economic Condition 46 III. The Struggles 51 IV. Fight for Living Wage 62 V. Labour Laws — Some Gains and Losses 65 VI. Trade-Union Rights and Democratic Liberties 69 VII. Trade Union Unity 73 VIII. International Solidarity — WFTU 77 Conclusion 79 REPORT ON ORGANISATION OF THE AITUC 81 , I Centre 85 State TUCs 87 International Solidarity — WFTU 88 RESOLUTIONS 90 On Martyrs SO Condolence Resolutions so On Affiliations 91 On WFTU 91 Greetings to the AUCCTU Congress Thanks for Hospital Aid 'On Unemployment On Rationalisation and Speed-up On Peace 100 On Trade-Union Rights and Democratic Liberties 103 On Industrial Relations 106 On Social Security 108 On Discrimination in Granting Passports 113 On French and Portuguese Possessions in India 114 On Contract Labour 115 On Industrial Housing 115 On Railwaymen’s Demands 118 On Cotton Textile Industry and Its Workers 123 On Jute Industry and Workers 127 On Plantation Industry 131 On Handloom Industry 134 ■On Coal Miners’ Demands 136 On Manganese 137 On Petroleum Workers 137 On Silk Industry Workers 138 On Railway Collieries 139 On Calcutta Tramway Workers 142 On Motor Transport Workers 142 On Bank Employees’ Movement 146 On Insurance Employees 148 On Working Women 150 On Teachers 153 On the Condition of the Multi-purpose Construction Project Workers 156 On Civil Employees 158 On Retrenchment of Civil Supplies Employees 160 On Defence Industry Workers 160 On Cement Workers 162 On Motion Picture Employees 163 On Electricity Supply Workers’ Demands 165 On Leather Workers 167 On Burnpur Workers 169 On Kolar Gold Fields 170 'On Mica Industry 172 On Shellac Industry 172 On the Lower Grade Staff Employees of Universities and other Educational Institutions On Hotel Workers 175 On Central PWD Workers 176 On Harbour and Post Trust Workers 178 On Beedi Workers 178 On Shop and Commercial Employees 179 On Rickshaw Workers 181 On Coir Industry 181 On Gold Smiths 184 On Tile and Brick Workers 184 On Plywood and Tea-chest Workers 185 On Building and Road Construction Workers 187 On Glass Industry Workers 187 On Municipal Workers 188 On Cashew Workers 191 On Refugee Rehabilitation 191 On Neiveli-Lignite Mining 192 On Printing and Dyeing Industry 193 On Agricultural Workers 193 On AITUC Film 194 On Committee to Report on Amendments to the Consti tution 194 On Working Committee 194 On Trade-Union Press 195 ERRATA 96 APPENDICES Office Bearers Elected at the 24th Session 197 Statement of Accounts — 1952 200 Statement of Accounts — 1953 201 Record of Important Struggles and Disputes 202 Printed by D. P. Sinha at New Age Printing Press, 6!4 Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi, and published by K. B, Panikkar, AITUC Office, Pawha Mansion, near Kamla Market, New sDelhi. October 1954 APPEAL TO ALL WORKERS & TRADE UNIONS FOR UNITY [Adopted by the 24th Session oj the AITUC] The Twenty-fourth Session of the All-India Trade Union Congress has provided a broad platform for the exchange of reports and experiences by 830 delegates from affiliated unions and 69 fraternal delegates from non-AITUC unions, together representing workers of every industry and occupation and of every State in our vast country. This pooling of reports and experiences has confirmed the grim reality confronting every worker and employee in India today—the reality of growing mass unemployment, of rationa lisation, retrenchment and lay-offs, of starvation wages, of concerted attacks by the monopolists' on the most elementary trade-union rights. This reality knows no barriers between worker and wor ker. All are suffering and starving. The jobs, wages and rights of all are imperilled. But experience also confirms that against this capitalist offensive a mighty new force has arisen in our country—the united will and capacity of the workers to resist, by action, the onslaughts of their exploiters and to defend their common class interest. > ► This growing unity in action also knows no harriers. Workers of all unions and no unions, of those affiliated to some national centre or independent, have written a glorious page in the history of militant working-class action. Such is the lesson of the Burnpur steel workers, of the Calcutta struggles against the British Tramway monopolists, and for bonus and teachers’ demands. Such also is the story of employees in banks, defence industries and others, who have conducted joint struggles in a new way. The Twenty-fourth Session of the AITUC is also aware that the entire working class of India shares a common hatred 1 of the imperialist warmongers, the colonial enslavers of the Asian and African peoples. It shares the common indignation against the nefarious attempts to ensnare India in the imperial ist was plans by such means as the US-Pak Mihtary Pact and retention of French and Portuguese pockets on Indian soil. The Indian workers are filled with horror at the implications of the Hydrogen Bomb. On the basis of its deliberations, the Twenty-fourth Ses sion of the AITUC, therefore, proclaims its firm conviction that the workers of India, motivated by these common pro- - blems and common desires and sentiments, can unite in de fence of their rights as workers and as human beings. Life has proved the invincible power of the class unity of the workers, forged in the common crucible of suffering and exploitation. Life itself is teaching the workers that unity of action is the path they must inevitably take if they are not to go down. Now, therefore, a great responsibility rests upon the leaders and functionaries of all the different trade-union cen tres and organisations at all levels. Will they give organised expression to the deep-seated urge of the workers for unity, or will they still refuse to join hands? Which will reign supreme—loyalty to ‘rival’ flags, or common loyalty to the worker and his interests? Such are the questions life poses before all trade unionists without exception. We appeal to all leaders and workers, all functionaries and members, of the INTUC, HMS and UTUC organisations and of all independent unions and federations: Brothers! Let us unite in common action to defend the workers’ interests; — Unite against retrenchment and unemployment; — Unite against schemes of rationalisation and speed-up; — Unite for higher wages and social security measures; — Unite to secure equality of wages and rights for working women, the most oppressed sec- tion of our class; — Unite to secure the rights of working class k youth to work, education and culture; — Unite to defend the rights of all trade unions to » organise and mobilise the workers; — Unite to defend the right of all workers to strike; and — Unite for Peace and against the imperialist war conspiracies, against the Hydrogen Bomb and the US-Fak Pact, against foreign pockets on Indian soil and for national independence of all colonial peoples. » We believe there is no problem facing the workers today which cannot be solved provided the workers are united. We believe there is no attack on the workers’ rights which cannot be defeated by united resistance. This Session appeals to all workers—organised and un organised—to build up and develop unity of action in the I factories and departments, in the chawls and bustees, and to set up united committees capable of winning the workers’ demands. Let the workers take the cause of unity into their own hands, let them act and struggle at the place of work— this is the path to victory. Brother workers who are yet unorganised! We appeal to you—do not stand outside the common fraternity of trade union members. The trade union is the workers’ only weapon with which to defend his bread, without it he is helpless and disarmed. The trade union alone is the common bond which makes the working class capable of fighting and defeating its exploiters. So join in your thousands, join the unions of your own free choice—but join you must, so that the workers’ united front may become strong and invincible. Forward, brothers! When the workers themselves are ► determined to unite for defence of their jobs, wages and rights^ the forces of tmity shall and must prevail over the forces of disunity and division. Let us go forward with this firm con fidence. Brother trade unionists of every organisation! We ex tend to you our hand of fraternal co-operation. Let us eschew all sectarian prejudices against one another, let us help the workers to find their way to unity and victory. Let us pledge that our loyalty to different flags and unions shall never be more precious to us than common loyalty to the exploited worker and his cause! Forward together! For security of employment and ade quate wages! For social security and an end to retrenchment and rationalisation! For trade union rights and democratic liberties! For Peace and Freedom! Long Live the Unity of the Workers of India! REVIEW OF THE 24TH SESSION by S. A. Dange The 24th Session of the All-India Trade Union Congress met in Calcutta from May 27 to 29. On May 30, two lakhs of workers, men and women, assembled in a mighty colourful ► rally to hear the conclusions of the Congress. The 24th Session was meeting five years after the last session in 1949 which was held in Bombay. The repression that was launched after that session by the Government and employers against our trade unions and leading workers had made it impossible to hold a session earher.