Harassment of workers decried

Faulty policies leading to devastation, says TUI-MM

Visakhapatnam: Trade Union International (Metal and Mining) (TUI-MM) secretary, International Relations, Franscisco Jose Sousa E Silva from Brazil, vice-president Xoan Xose Aboi from Galicia, secretary of International Relations and Solidarity Syndicate, Cyprus, Rigos Panagiotis, and deputy general secretary of World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) Ch. Mohadevan decried the growing harassment of the working class, including lack of job security, pension-cuts and denial of social security benefits across the globe.

The two-day meeting of the TUI-MM executive council (EC) began here on Tuesday under the aegis of Steel Workers' Federation of India (SWFI) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). TUI-MM general secretary Igor Urrutikotexea from Spain delivered the keynote address.

The leaders voiced concern over the closure of industrial, financial and service units throughout the world due to economic crisis since 2008. They alleged that the governments' faulty policies, military interventions in peaceful countries, control on natural oil, resources, minerals, trade and commerce by the multinationals were taking the world towards devastation.

Mr Mahadevan said the meeting was aimed at discussing ways and means to change the social structure so as to help eliminate exploitation of labour as the corporate sector was controlling the governments. Concerned over the big industrial crisis in the country, a massive strike was observed by all trade unions, including INTUC, for the first time in the country on February 20 and 21 this year, he said.

Stating that the law of the jungle was ruling the industrial sector throughout the world, he underscored the importance to change this attitude. Financial socialism was also taking place and permanency of workers was rapidly coming down worldwide, he said adding that even though there were employment opportunities, they were being exploited by outsourcing and contract systems.

SWFI general secretary PK Das said it was a difficult task to organise such an international summit due to constraints like distance, finance, language and political diversity. He said some members from countries like China, South Africa and Peru could not attend the meeting due to such constraints. However, they expressed their full support to the deliberations at the summit, he added.

In his welcome address, reception committee chairman Ch. Narasing Rao called upon the international trade union leaders to discuss measures to strengthen unity of trade unions in the metals and mining sectors. A large number of representatives of CITU and other unions attended.