AIRF: Hands off our right to strike

Com. Shiva Gopal Mishra has urged Airf affiliates to observe ITF global day of Action for the “Right to Strike” on 18th Feb, 2015 in a befitting manner.

No.AIRF/31-D(G)

Dated: January 24, 2015

The General Secretaries,
All Affiliated Unions,
Dear Comrades,

Sub: Hands off our right to strike

We have already reported all of you about the pressure mounted on the ILO by the employers globally to withdraw the “Right to Strike”, which is embodied in the ILO Convention 87 as a part of established interpretation of the convention, without which ILO Convention will become meaningless.

Almost 90 countries throughout the world have adopted this convention, and now in the wake of globalization and liberalization, the employers unitedly creating all sorts of pressure on the ILO to withdraw the right to strike.

Comrades! If it happens, we will be loosing protection given to the workers in the ILO Convention 87, and thus the achievements made by the ILO, for the last four decades for collective action against the employers, will definitely be lost , and will be detrimental against the interest of the employees and working class.

The ITUC has, therefore, given a call to observe 18th February, 2015 as “Global Day of Action for Right to Strike” against the pressure of the employers for withdrawal of right to strike. The ITF has also given similar call during its 43rd Congress, held in Sofia in August 2014.

It would be in all appropriateness, if we could observe 18th February, 2015 as “Global Day of Action for Right to Strike” in an appropriate manner by creating awareness among the working class by organizing mass meetings, conventions etc. and sending the report immediately to this office for forwarding the same to the ITUC and ITF for pledging our solidarity against the onslaught on the working class. We should also try to mobilize our support by sending memorandum to Government of India to pledge their support against withdrawal of right to strike from the ILO Convention 87.

Yours faithfully,
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary

Copy to: General Secretary, ITUC – for information.
Copy to: General Secretary, ITUC(Asia Pacific) – for information.
Copy to: General Secretary, ITF – for information.
Copy to: General Secretary, HMS – for information.

Order: Right-to-Strike-AIRF

AIRF secretary writes a letter to Railway Minister in protest against the Railway Budget

Com. Shiva Gopal Mishra GS/AIRF has written letter to Railway Minister in protest against the Railway Budget.

A.I.R.F
All India Railwaymen’s Federation

4, State Entry Road,
New Delhi.-110055

D.O.No. AIRF/60

Dated: July 14, 2014

Resp. Shri Sadananda Gowda Ji,

Sub: Rail Budget 2014-15

We are very much pained and constrained on the Rail Budget 2014-15, presented by you in the floor of the Lok Sabha.

I had given you a memorandum consisting of suggestions related to Rail Budget, but unfortunately none of them could get place in this Rail Budget, and by and large there is nothing motivational and inspiring for the Railwaymen in the said Rail Budget. This has happened after a long time.

Moreover, direction of the said Rail Budget is towards privatization, and the announcement of Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) in the Railways has created lot of resentment among the Railwaymen. All India Railwaymen’s Federation(AIRF) in its General Council Meeting, held at Chennai on 3-4 July, 2014, unanimously adopted a resolution to oppose all kinds of privatization in the Railways.

AIRF is a recognized federation and having a wider support among 13 lakh Railway employees. We always expect from the Railway Board that before making any announcement, which may change the face/ownership of the Railways, the matter must be discussed transparently with the Federation. But in the matter of FDI and PPP, no discussion has been made with the recognized federations.

If any decision detrimental to the interest of Railway Industry, Railwaymen in particular and the Rail users in general, takes place, we will have no other alternative, but to organize sustained struggle to save the Indian Railways.

In this Rail Budget, something also has been said about the Restructuring of the Railways. Earlier also there had been similar talks of Railway Restructuring through Rakesh Mohan and Prakash Tandan Committees and also under various modes.

We know that, the Planning Commission in the past also tried to privatize the Indian Railways but they could not do so because of pressure from the Railway workers as well as rail users.

I know that, as “Opposition”, at that time, the BJP had also opposed the idea of Privatization and FDI. There should not be any change in that stand on coming into power.

Since lot of demoralization and de-motivation are going down the line among the Railway employees, who are very sensitive and working round-the-clock to keep operative country’s lifeline. It would be appreciated, if a dialogue is organized with the recognized federations, representing 13 lakh Railway employees, at an earliest to clarify various issues, taking the Railways to a different direction.

I do hope, you will take this communication in a very justify perspective because the AIRF throughout the years, after 1974, has tried to maintain industrial peace and still stands for the same, but such announcements may create a breach of industrial peace.

Therefore, an early dialogue is requested.

With kind regards!
Yours Sincerely,
sd/-
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary

Source : AIRF