COLLECTIVE bargaining must not be viewed as a mere exercise for achievement of economic benefits in isolation from the perspective of class struggle. Collective bargaining must be understood as a measure of relief to economic exploitation and fillip to the fight for complete emancipation of the working class from capitalist class exploitation through path of class struggle.DAY-TO-DAY STRUGGLE IS PART OF CLASS STRUGGLECollective bargaining and for that matter day-to-day struggles on economic issues is certainly integral part of class struggle.

ROAD transport workers, under the banner of various centrally affiliated federations and also those independently functioning have been called upon to observe a countrywide one day strike on April 30. This strike will involve all sections of passenger traffic – autos, bus, both private and public – and also goods transport of different sections. This is the first time such a countrywide strike has been called in the road transport sector.

THE meeting of the secretariat of the CITU held on March 23-24, 2015 at New Delhi, unanimously adopted a resolution calling upon the working people to prepare for countrywide united strike to decisively resist the brazenly anti-people and anti-national onslaught of the corporate-servile BJP led government on the national economy, the natural resources and life and livelihood of the common people, much to the detriment of national interests. The secretariat noted that the BJP regime is a regime of all round attack on the labour rights of the workers and land-rights of the farmers; attack on

THE nationwide secret ballot to identify majority unions in Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) for representation in the Powergrid National Bipartite Committee (PNBC) was held on March 16. PNBC is the national forum in PGCIL where negotiations for long-term settlements on all issues concerning wages and service conditions take place and work-related issues are discussed and settled. It is a regular standing forum. Out of the total 26 seats for which secret ballot took place, CITU has won 14 seats while BMS and INTUC have won seven and five seats, respectively.

HUNDREDS of Delhi Airport workers under the banner of Airport Employees Union (CITU) held a demonstration before the office of Union Labour Ministry, in New Delhi on March 2 against the termination of contract workers who are working as loaders & packers with the Airport Authority of India and Indian Airlines at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The workers were arrested by the police.