THIS was the slogan of the CITU general council that was held in Hassan in Karnataka on August 7-10, 2019. The general council called upon all its affiliated unions and committees to display this slogan prominently during the night long ‘jagaran’ that will be held on the night of August 14, on the eve of the Independence Day.

THE Central Trade Unions (CTUs), in its meeting held at New Delhi on August 2,  expressed deep concern at the decision of the central government to divest further 10 per cent equity in the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) through Offer for Sale (OFS) route. The present shareholding pattern of NTPC is 56.41 per cent with the company and 43.59 per cent with market players.

IN 2017, it was Gorakhpur where 63 children died in 72 hours due to lack of oxygen supply in a government hospital and in 2019, it is Muzaffarpur where 157 children died in a month due to encephalitis. This is our ‘achievement’ for our children after 72 years of our independence. In a few days or months, the outcry on these deaths will die down and the headlines, interviews and stories will find new topics.

THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions, in a statement issued on June 21, has opposed the privatisation measures incorporated in the 100 days Action Plan proposed by the ministry of railways with the approval of the minister of railways. The railway board has directed that immediate action be taken to implement the action plan by August 31, 2019.

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.