International Association Of Independent Journalists Inc.

[IAIJ]

Attainment of rights still a distant dream, despite phenomenal changes!


By Doruvu Paul Jagan Babu (India)


• When knowledge is limited - it leads to folly... When knowledge exceeds a certain limit, it leads to exploitation. Abu Bakr

Attainment of rights of working classes is still a distant dream, in spite of phenomenal changes in all sectors across the world. The lives of the working classes testify that these phenomenal changes are a boon to capitalists and political parties in powerand a bane to workers. However, thanks to the capitalism and its growers for they have succeeded in translating labor exploitation into huge revenues by capturing declining labor solidarity, which ultimately weakened the labor movements. It is purely the manipulation of the ruling intelligentsiato popularize contract labor system to subvert labour rights. The case is similar in the entire world by and large. That’s why the late Abu Bakr rightly says that ‘when knowledge exceeds a certain limit, it leads to exploitation’. It loudly testifies to what is going on now.
‘May Day’ always reminds the working classes that they have to work for others from the cradle to the grave. This is an inescapable phenomenon under the aegis of growing capitalism, where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting the poorer, according to a Polish Proverb: ‘Under capitalism man exploits man; under socialism the reverse is true’. Still this is a hard conviction that the working classes should strive for the attainment of statutory rights. This is the underlying message every May Day brings to surface.

• Trade Unions take a dig at government and political parties in power

Trade unions are finding fault that government and political parties in power are not interested in the working class and weakening the labor movement together and suppressing the struggle wherever it arises. Successive governments have neglected the working class and the political parties are trapping some union leaders with inducements. Today, the real challenge for the trade unions is to mobilize workers who are evidently controlled by the capitalist forces. With this growing trend and influence, the right to fight collectively is lost, workers are made to work much longer than the stipulated 8 hours, demand for the cancellation of contractual and outsourced system of employment, statutory rights to workers are put on the back burner, labor welfare provisions are not implemented, labor laws are violated, access denied to the rights of the working class leading to their social protection.
This is a big challenge to face and will have to actively participate in the movement time and again for the legitimate rights such as minimum wages for the unorganized workers, reduction of working hours from 12 to 8 under contractual system. There is a demand that hotels and resorts have to be recognized as industries and minimum wages at all levels. The demand for the enactment of legislation to ensure social security and minimum salary to the workers in various sectors is played down time and again. The capitalistic centers are always ignoring contributions made by the working class towards nation-building.
The labor unions alleged that corruption is growing and irregularities are rampant with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Government is going ahead with the contract system of labor. As long as laborers working under contract system are similar to slavery without rights, this is a grave exploitation!According to the provisions of the Contract Labor Act, a laborer should not be engaged on contract basis for works of permanent in nature. Trade Unions are accusing the governments for protecting the interest of a few capitalists and neglecting the interest of the working classes.

• Reasons for grave concerns!

According to the trade unions, governments are practicing the neo-liberal policies and cracking permanent employment, thus leading the way to contract and outsourcing, which is depriving the workers of their benefits. The condition of workers in the unorganized sectors is even worse. Political parties in the country always favored capitalists and ignored the working class. The capitalists are interested in increasing their revenues by exploiting the working classwith the support of political parties in power. Prices of all essential commodities are going up. But, the workers are not getting a considerable salary to meet the expenses. The rise in the prices of petroleum products and essential commodities has hit the common man very hard. Governments do not have any commitment to bring down prices of essential commodities, but parties are running with the hare and hunt with the hounds by showing their manifestos.