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From India News Network (INN) Tamilnadu TUs call for one day General Strike Chennai, November 19: The struggle committee of central trade unions in Tamilnadu has called for one day General Strike in Tamilnadu on 23. 11. 2001. The General Strike is in support of the State Transport Workers Strike (from 10. 11. 2001) and that of the Civil supplies Corparation Workers from 12. 11. 2001. More than 1.25 lakhs of state Transport workers and 30,000 Civil supplies corporation workers went on strike demanding 20% Bonus, which they were getting for the last 3 years. The state government took a ‘ Policy Decision’ to pay only 8.33 percent to transport, Civil Supplies, Electricity Board and Milk Co-op Federation workers. While these payments were to be calculated on the basis of Rs.2500 and paid to all workers irrespective of wage limits, all the other PSUs and Corporations will pay Bonus only to those who get less than Rs.3500 /- This strict implementation of Bonus Act in about 60 corporation and under takings has resulted in ‘ No Bonus’ in all these establishments. The state Electricity Board employees had also gone on a one day strike demanding 20% Bonus. Even after 10 days of strike, the state government has not come forward to change its decision. A joint Action Committee of CITU, LPF, INTUC, HMS, MLF, Ambedkar union, Pattali Trade union (PMK), is guiding the Transport Workers Strike Com. A. Soundararajan, CITU is the Convenor of JAC. A solidarity committee of central TUs has been formed with T.K.Rengarajan as Convenor. CITU, AITUC, BMS, HMS, LPF, MLF, AICCTU, UTUC(LS), Pattali T.U., Working People TU council ( R. Kuchelar) are part of this committee. This committee had met the CM and requested to settle the issue. The negotiations after this meeting also did not produce any result. Police refused permission for a rally, organised by central TUs in Chennai on 17.11.2001. The ban was defied and nearly thousand workers were arrested. Those arrested included T K Rengarajan, A. Soundararajan, CITU, C. K. Kuppusamy, M.P.LPF, S. S. Theyagarajan, AITUC and other leaders. Thousands of workers from various industries including central, state government employees, Bank, Insurance, Telecom employees, who tried to assemble were chased away by police. The solidarity committee met on 18.11.2001 and has decided to call for a 1-day strike all over the state on 23.11.01. The committee has appealed to all Trade unions and political parties to support the strike. Various campaigns and agitations have been going on all over the state from 7th of November. After the strike began, more than 15000 transport workers have courted arrest and are in Jail. All the Jails in the state are over crowded. Solidarity actions have been going on. Thousands of women family members of transport workers and women from AIDWA courted arrest on 15th and 16th November in various parts of the state. Authorities refused to put them in Jail. Solidarity actions are continuing. eom |
