Trade Union Appeal For Unity

The undersigned unions met in Ahmedabad from April 13-14, 2002 under the banner of Solidarity Center and also visited some of the labor affected areas meeting many workers and have issued the following statement.

We, representing the working class of India, express solidarity with the working class of Gujarat and at the same time sympathize with the violence affected people of Gujarat.

¨ We jointly condemn the Godhra incidents and the carnage that has followed in Gujarat;

¨ We have noted with grave concern that this type of incidents destabilizes the unity and the united struggles of the working class against Globalization and New Economic Policies by attacking the working class and their rights;

¨ We have noted that workers are the worst victims of these incidents. We have noted with concern that approximately the following number of worker have been affected in Ahmedabad alone:

Tea Stall workers 20,000

Diamond workers 150,000

Vendors / Hawkers 100,000

Garment workers 75,000

Bidi workers 10,000

Agarbatti workers 10,000

Hotels / Restaurants 20,000

Powerloom / Textile workers 150,000

Construction workers 75,000

Paper / Rag pickers 20,000

Auto Drivers 50,000

Besides many more doing Agriculture, and other work in the rural areas;

¨ We note that reasonable estimate, of the daily loss to the workers in Ahmedabad alone is more than Rs. 5 crores / day for the past 45 days and still continues;

¨ We as representatives of Trade Unions appeal that:

· All Unions should work towards strengthening unity;

· To help in restoring peace, harmony and justice;

· To raise trade union voice unitedly;

¨ We demand that:

· Employment of all workers who are living in camps and outside, affected by these incidents, immediately be restored;

· Immediate steps to be taken to create an atmosphere of peace, justice and physical security;

· Carry out a state-vide survey to assess the number of workers who have been impacted by these incidents and also estimate the financial loss to workers including wages;

· Rehabilitate all affected immediately and implement the relief package announced by the government immediately.

Name / Organisation Signature

Dr K. Hemlata, sd/-

Centre of Indian Trade Unions

S. Bhardwajan, sd/-

Centre of Indian Trade Unions

Arun Mehta, sd/-

Centre of Indian Trade Unions

Rajkumar Singh, sd/-

All India Trade Union Congress

Franklyn D’souza, sd/-

Trade Union Solidarity Centre

Rasendu Oza, sd/-

Trade Union Solidarity Centre

Katy Irani, sd/-

IFTU

Deepti Gopinath, sd/-

Indian Airport Employees Union

Swapan Ganguly, sd/-

Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity

Thaneshwar Adigaur, sd/-

Nirman Majdoor Panchayat Sangam

H. P. Mishra, sd/-

Manhole Workers Union

Vipul Pandya, sd/-

Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan

Jayanti Panchal, sd/-

Gujarat Mazdoor Panchayat

Ashok Rajput, sd/-

Bandmill Kamdar Ladat Samity

Kanti Parmar sd/-

Manhole Workers union

Mahesh Upadhyaya, sd/-

Solidarity Center

For more info contact: mahesh@solidarity-center.org