CURRENT UPDATES

Last night at about 1 am police force came and picked up the hunger-strikers at gunpoint. They were arrested and taken to Imumbara Hospital, Chuchura. But the struggling workers are continuing their hunger strike there too. Another four workers have started hunger strike today at the factory gate. A rally protesting this police brutality will be held today at 5 pm.

Avash Munshi (Secretary, SSKU)

It was 50th day of strike on May Day. Workers observed this May Day by intensifying their struggle, they sat for a indefinite hunger strike demanding Govt. intervention to solve the disputes. There were cultural programmes and friends from various regions gathered to expressed solidarity. There were discussions regarding how the struggle will go ahead henceforth.

The worker leaders participating in the hunger strike are-

1. Samar Das (Sec, H.M. Sangrami Thika Majdoor Union)

2. Dipankar Bhuiya (Vice President, SSKU)

3. Suvendu Biswas ( ,, )

4. Amitava Bhattacharya (President, SSKU)

Avash Munshi (Secretary, SSKU)

Apart from the regular programmes in the factory gates, several other campaign initiatives are being taken up by Sangrami Jukto Mancha. Campaigning at various railway stations will go on. (On 19th morning at Rishra and Konnagar station, in the evening at Makhla Blind School playground, On 20th morning at Uttarpara and Bally station.)

On 20th there will be a drama performed by ‘Anarya’ at the Colony playground. On 22nd a whole day long matador campaign in the entire Srirampur industrial area. On 23rd a peoples’ convention will be held at Yubakendra, Moulali, Kolkata. Celebrities like Nabarun Bhattacharya, Joy Goswami, Bivas Chakraborty, Parthasarathi Sengupata, Joymalya Bagchi, Shaoli Mitra, Aparna Sen, Sujato Bhadra et al will attend the convention. On 24th Chhatra Chhatri Sanhati Mancha (Students’ Solidarity Platform) will organize a sit-in-demonstration at the Dharmatala metro alongwith the students of the workers’ family.

A mass meeting will be held at Deshbandhu park, Hindmotor in the evening. On 26th a rally to Birla Head Office at Kolkata will be held.

Avash Munshi (Secretary, SSKU)

When efforts are there on behalf of various sections to resolve the problem, govt. also is assuring to play their appropriate role; Birlas are on their on path. They are carrying on with their vindictive attitude. Showcause letter for dismissals are being sent to the struggling workers one by one. It is being heard that 31 workers are being sent such letters.

A tripartite meeting was called again today. In this meeting, management said that strike should be unconditionally withdrawn, then only discussion with the worker leadership can commence. Naturally, there was no question of responding to such proposal. Worker leadership asked them that what they were doing for the last 6 years, when workers once and again appealed to the management to enter into the talks. Now they are saying that they will open the discussion, but that is only after going through a month long strike. So until the demands are met, the strike will go on.

A tripartite meeting was called by the govt. but management again refused to attend the meeting.

Workers feel that the ‘suspension of work’ is due to the failure of the management to run the factory. Although there were co-operation on behalf of the strikers to resolve the problems, but police is going on with their atrocities. They are doing nothing against the alleged CITU people, but arresting the struggling workers instead. Sometimes they are being picked from their houses late at night and being given false allegations and non-bailable charges.

Avash Munshi (Secretary, SSKU)

Management issued a notice of ‘Suspension of Work’ early in the morning, saying that the prevailing conditions are not suitable to run the factory. CITU intensified their hooliganism. They started attacks on the struggling workers in several localities.

Avash Munshi (Secretary, SSKU)

CITU and management were restless to break the strike and they planned to push some outsiders into the factory in disguise of trainee. Workers identified them and asked the police to interfere and stop this conspiracy. Police remained inert and thus workers tried to stop the outsiders from entering into factory. All on a sudden police started lathi-charge on the struggling workers, and the entire area turned into a battlefield. Workers were mercilessly beaten; several workers got injury and were hospitalized.

The meeting scheduled earlier was called off by the management. But a huge rally was held in the locality, in which people from nearby areas and several mass-organisations and trade unions marched along with the struggling workers.

Management issued a letter saying that until material/product transportation is assured, they will not go for any talk. It was evident that the management doesn’t want to go for any peaceful negotiation and thus they are delaying the process.

Avash Munshi (Secretary, SSKU)

Management has called ALL registered unions for a common meeting on 8th April.

There is also plan for a collated Centralised Rally at 5 pm on the same day from Hind Motor station gate.

Sangrami Jukto Mancha (Struggling Joint Platform) has declared an Uttarpara Bidhansabha Bandh for 12th April.

CITU has attacked the peaceful assemblance of Hind Motor workers in the factory gate today morning while they were picketing on their demands. When the workers started resisting, police came in the fore-front and ushered random and selective lathi-charge on the workers-in-movement only. 6 are reported to be injured, while condition of 1 worker is very serious. A rally of 1500 workers is about to start from the factory gate. Situations are very tense...

a) A huge Protest Rally was organised to express solidarity to the worker's movement on 15th March morning. The rally was a great success and touched the hearts of all people in Uttarpara and adjoint areas.

b) It has been decided that on 21st March (Wednesday) there will be a March to the Writer's Building in order to demand Government's attention towards the justice of the factory workers.

Indefinite strike at Hindustan Motors starts with huge workers' support.

97% of the workers refused to join their work.

Workers of Hindustan Motors (Uttarpara plant, West Bengal) launched their indefinite strike today. Despite efforts by police and management supporters' to smash the workers' heroic movement, the workers' of the factory went ahead with their demands. Around 4000 workers stood outside the factory gate, shouted slogans and collapsed the company's production whole day long. There were attrocities by police and management followers, but all their efforts were in vain. Only 209 workmen out of a total of 5000 workmen went into the plant. The struggling workers remained united and finally at the end of the day, excepting CITU all other unions joined the movement which was initiated by SSKU.

The workers are demanding-

1. Payment of their wages that are due for 2 months,
2. Withdrawal of chargesheet suspension on 15 worker leaders, and
3. Providing the contract-basis workers with their jobs.

The strike will go on until the demands are achieved.

Avash Munshi (Secretary, SSKU)

'HM & HIL SSKU' has decided to go for an 'Indefinite Strike' in the Uttarpara plant of Hindustan Motors Ltd.( Situated at Hindmotor, West Bengal, India ) .The issues are:

1. Settlement of the 'Charter of Demand' pending for discussion from 01-04-2002.
2. Withdrawal of freezing of Dearness Allowance ( from 2001).
3. Permanency of 'Badli Workers' as per last bi-partite agreement.
4. Immediate reinstatement of Mr. Fakruddin Khan ,Vice -President ,HM & HIL SSKU, withdrawal of suspension from Mr. Avash Munshi , Secretary, & Mr.Prabir Ganguly, Vice-President of HM & HIL SSKU.
5. Immediate cease of inhuman oppression on the 'Thika' (Contract) workers.

In the the last Executive Committee meeting (in presence of 99 members out of 121 members) held on 23-12-2006 a final decision ( 95 votes in favour - 4 against) in favour of 'Indefinite Strike' was taken in secret ballot.The primary intimation of this decision was conveyed to the management through a mass-deputation on 28-12-2006.