Delegate conference of NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council
The 2nd Conference of the NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council was held in the Desh Bhagat Yadgar hall in Jalandhar on 2 October 2011. The conference began with the hoisting of the NTUI flag by Com. Didar Singh Kheri, a veteran leader of the democratic rights movement. Com Bhag Mal Rana, State President of the NTUI inaugurated the conference. 175 delegates representing all NTUI affiliates in Punjab and Chandigarh participated in the conference. NTUI General Secretary Com Ashim Roy and Com. Gautam Mody, Secretary, also participated.
The report of the NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council was presented by Com Harinder Dosanjh analysing the international, national and state level changes that have occurred in the four years since the first state conference in May 2007. The NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council recognises that with the advancing of working class struggles across the world, including the Arab Spring in West Asia, the Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States and the declining hegemony of the US, opportunities open up for the working class movements of the countries of the global south, including India, for playing a larger role. Yet for this we have to resist the relationship that the Indian ruling class is seeking with the US. A special mention was made of the NTUI initiated Asia to Gaza Caravan as being inspirational for the democratic rights movement in Punjab and Chandigarh.
At the national level corruption has emerged as a galvanising force for the working class. The working class can see the contradiction of huge subsidies being given to multinational corporations, on the one hand while reducing the already negligible services to working people especially the working poor. The electoral loss of the Left parties in West Bengal, as a result of their inability to relate to the concerns of working people. This loss is a matter of concern and creating a vacuum. In this vacuum, unscrupulous forces are taking advantage of people’s unrest and this was evident in the kind of support garnered by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev. The trade unions must take the lead in channelling people’s anger and unrest.
At the state level the situation is no different. The Akali-BJP government has no concern in addressing the needs of working people and the opposition Congress Party is also weak due to infighting. The police is being used to repress working class movement. In these circumstances the NTUI has to assimilate and unite all people’s movements and build a united resistance. Since 2007 NTUI emerged as a militant working class organisation in Punjab and Chandigarh and many new unions have been organised among agricultural workers, security workers, contract Punjab Road Transport Corporation workers, Water department workers, Asha, mid-day meal and contract Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) workers. It has become a major trade union centre in Punjab and Chandigarh and attempts to weaken it have been successfully thwarted and the principle of respecting and incorporating multiple political tendencies has been strengthened. Yet there are some weaknesses that must be addressed and some initiatives that have failed to take off. There is a need for fresh energy and greater strengthened. The help of the national secretariat is also needed in the immediate future to consolidate this organisational growth.
In responding to the Council’s report affiliates emphasised the need to support the grassroots cadre and worker activists. This is most of all necessary amongst those engaged in organising the Asha and mid-day meal workers as this is where the most difficult fight for the most basic rights of being recognised as workers lies. 23 affiliates from various districts and unions participated in the deliberations. The report was supported and passed unanimously.
Com. Ashim Roy, General Secretary-NTUI, in his introductory speech commended the balanced development of the trade union moment in Punjab. The approach of focusing on various sectors such as government employees, industrial workers and rural workers has provided major advances in the organising strength and confidence in the NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council. He also stressed that this well-attended delegate conference vindicated the correctness of the NTUI approach of creating the political space, where all political trends committed to united class struggle can come together for renewal of the trade union movement in Punjab. Though, it is unfortunate that few senior leaders have moved away from this approach towards sectarianism, they failed to undo or disrupt this political trend or the dynamic organisation. In a way this organisational crisis induced a democratisation process in the state unit, which was so far weak. This democratisation will allow for the emergence of grass root leadership at all levels and that will further the development of the state leadership. This will create a new orientation and commitment to build a militant trade union movement. The widely represented elected delegates from all districts and sectors and their enthusiasm in the pre-conference preparations is a sign of the energy and vitality that exists in our organisation. He said he was convinced and confident that with the visibly effective participation in providing concrete inputs the NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council has entered a new trajectory of growth.
Congratulating the newly elected leadership of the State Council Com Gautam Mody, Secretary-NTUI, said that despite the organisational problems over the past few months the State Council today is significantly stronger than when it was at its founding in 2007. Every delegate who has spoken has spoken of the need for strong democratic principles in the trade union that have come to be represented by the NTUI. In the next three months the NTUI must prepare for verification as a central trade union organisation and take forward its programme at its 3rd General Council in Kolkata from 6-8 January 2012. There is little doubt that the NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council will play its role in both.
The NTUI Punjab and Chandigarh State Council passed resolutions (1) demanding minimum wage of Rs 10,000; (2) regularisation of all temporary and contract workers; (3) demanding control on increasing inflation and corruption; and against the black laws passed by the Punjab government curbing democratic and workers rights.
A 31 member State Council was elected unanimously:
- Bhagmal Rana, Mulazim Manch (Chandigarh)
- Germanjit Singh, Mulazim Manch (Amritsar)
- Makhan Singh, Mulazim Manch (Faridkot)
- Sukhdev Singh, Mulazim Manch (Faridkot)
- Harinder Dosanjh, Mulazim Manch (Jalandhar)
- Dinesh Parsad, CTU Punjab & Chandigarh (Mohali)
- Didar Singh, Dehati Mazdoor Morcha (Ropar)
- Nachattar Singh, Mulazim Manch (Taran Taran)
- Amarjit Kaur Kameana, Asha Workers Union (Faridkot)
- Lakhwinder Kaur, Mid-day Meal Workers Union (Faridkot)
- Iqbal Singh, Mulazim Manch (Hoshiarpur)
- Paramjit Kaur Maan, Asha Workers Union (Amritsar)
- Yograj Kharar, Dehati Mazdoor Morcha (Mohali)
- Gurdip Singh, Mulazim Manch (Chandigarh)
- Hardev Singh Toor, Mulazim Manch (Faridkot)
- Satpal (M.C.), Mulazim Manch (Faridkot)
- Puran Chand Chajjalwaddi, Dehati Mazdoor Morcha (Amritsar)
- Jagjit Singh, Mulazim Manch (Taran Taran)
- Balbir Singh Sivia, Mulazim Manch (Muktsar)
- Kiranjit Kaur, Contract Multipurpose Health Workers Union (Female), Ludhiana
- Parkash Singh Thothian, Mulazim Manch (Amritsar)
- Jaspal Singh, Contract PRTC Workers Union (Kapurthala)
- Sarwan Singh, Dehati Mazdoor Morcha (Ropar)
- Dilbag Singh, Mulazim Manch (Nawanshahar)
- Sukhwinder Singh,
- Mamta Sharma, Mid-day Meal Workers Union (Amritsar)
- Prabhjit Singh Timmowal, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Youth Federation (Amritsar)
- Charanjit Singh, Mulazim Manch (Amritsar)
- Joginder Rana, Mulazim Manch (Chandigarh)
- Phool Chand, Dehati Mazdoor Morcha (Mohali)
- Prof. Lal Singh, Mohali
The newly constituted State Council elected 11 office bearers:
- President: Bhagmal Rana
- Vice-President: Germanjit Singh
- Vice-President: Makhan Singh
- Vice-President: Sukhdev Singh
- Vice-President: Amarjit Kaur Kameana
- Vice-President: Lakhwinder Kaur Faridkot
- General Secretary:Dinesh Parsad
- Secretary: Didar Singh
- Secretary: Nachattar Singh
- Secretary: Iqbal Singh
- Secretary: Harinder Dosanjh
- Secretary: Gurdip Singh
- Organising Secretary: Paramjit Kaur Maan
- Secretary-Treasurer: Yograj Kharar