IN the ongoing world economic crisis situation, there is a rightward political shift worldwide. This is resulting in the pursuit of an aggressive neoliberal economic agenda in favour of the corporates and against all sections of the working people. It is leading to cuts in wages, social security, subsidies, employment, rights, and increase in taxation -- as designed by the international finance capital -- combined with a country-specific divisive agenda.

THE yearlong observance of the Golden Jubilee of CITU, which was founded on May 30, 1970, started with great enthusiasm in a massive meeting at Mavalankar Hall in New Delhi, on May 30, 2019. In addition to the Golden Jubilee of CITU’s foundation, CITU is also observing 100 years of the formation of the first central trade union in the country with the slogan ‘Carrying Forward 100 Years of Struggles and Sacrifices and 50 Years’ Fight for Class Unity’.

IT was with this vision that the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) was founded in 1970, the yearlong Golden Jubilee celebrations of which will start on its Foundation Day this year – May 30. This vision was clearly spelt out in the constitution of CITU thus: ‘The CITU believes that the exploitation of the working class can be ended only by socialising all means of production, distribution and exchange and establishing a Socialist State. Holding fast the ideals of socialism, the CITU stands for the complete emancipation of the society from all exploitation’.

ON the very first day of the two-day countrywide general strike by workers on January 8-9, police in the Congress-ruled Rajasthan lathi-charged, used teargas and fired on the peaceful assembly of the workers in front of Japanese company Daikin Airconditioning Private Limited in the so-called ‘Japanese Zone’ in the Neemrana industrial area in Alwar district. Several workers were injured in the police action. The police also filed false cases against several workers and arrested them, 18 of them are still in jail.

ON the slogans of, no to direct cash transfer and no privatisation in ICDS; implement minimum wages of Rs 18,000 per month and pension of Rs 6,000 per month for anganwadi workers and helpers; regularise them as government employees; make anganwadis full time as anganwadi cum creches, the ALL India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) union has decided to march to parliament on February 25, 2019.