The National Convention of Trade Unions, held at New Delhi on 13th May 2008, has given a call for a Nationwide General Strike on 20th August 2008, to protest against the huge rise in prices of all essential commodities, which is a terrible burden on all sections of the working people.

The Convention was organized by the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions, consisting of the major Central Trade Unions and the all India federations/associations of employees in telecom, railways, defence, banks, insurance, various public sector units, central and state government offices and departments.

Taking note of the rising resistance world-wide, to the attacks by the bourgeoisie on the working class and people, speakers at the Convention criticised the policy of liberalisation of the government, which was responsible for the severe agrarian crisis, the domination of speculative trading in the commodity market and the collapse of the public distribution system. They denounced the severe attacks on the livelihood of the working class, peasants and agricultural workers, the growing unemployment, outsourcing, contractorisation and casualisation of jobs. They pointed out that basic labour laws are being flagrantly violated in respect of minimum wages, working hours and social security benefits, with the active backing of the administration. Protests by the workers are suppressed by force.

The Convention took serious note of the blatantly discriminatory features of the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission and its design to promote contractorisation and outsourcing in government departments. Speakers at the convention highlighted the huge loans being given by the nationalised banks to the corporate sector for large scale forward trading, while the government is boasting so much of the meagre loan waiver being offered to the peasantry. The Convention also denounced the government’s approach towards the Seventh Round Wage Negotiation for the employees of Central PSUs and its anti-worker guidelines with various negative conditionalities.

The Convention resolved to go in for a phased agitation by the working class all over the country to culminate in a country wide strike action to press for a six point charter of demands.

The Convention unanimously decided on the following programs:

l    Joint Conventions at states/districts/industrial centres to be completed by 15th July 2008.

l    Massive demonstration/dharna in all the states and industrial centres on 30th July 2008.

l    Serving of strike notice through demonstrations on 4th August 2008.

l    Country wide General Strike on 20th August 2008.

People's Voice fully supports the call of the National Convention of Trade Unions for nationwide resistance to the attacks of the bourgeoisie on the working class and people, including the call for the nationwide general strike on August 20 and calls upon workers in all sections to come forward and join this struggle.