CITU gets leave to air misgivings

This was evident today soon after the EPF rates were announced. The CITU invited eight leading non-BMS, non-INTUC trade unions for a meeting at its headquarters at BTR Bhavan and chalked out a plan of action. On May 10, these eight unions are going to meet again and announce a countrywide agitation on the basis of their 14-point charter of demands, essentially areas of differences with the UPA’s policies.

The CITU said, ‘‘The obstinate refusal by the Finance Ministry to accept either of the two alternatives mooted by a sub-committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Additional Secretary (Labour) has forced the EPFO to dip into the Special Reserve Fund for bridging the gap between interest earnings on EPF investment and a pay-out of interest at 9.5 per cent rate.’’

According to the CITU and leaders of the trade unions who attended today’s meeting, ‘‘the alternatives were either to provide a one-time budgetary support or enhance the interest rate on Special Deposit Scheme.’’ According to Pandhe, once you touch the Special Deposit Scheme, you start eating into a fund which will not even last next year.

The CITU’s response is much harsher than that of the AITUC whose leader Gurudas Dasgupta welcomed the 9.5 pc EPF rate announcement in Kolkata. But other leaders tended to agree with the other trade unions and CITU leadership that the Special Reserve Fund should have been left alone.

The 14 point chartertouches upon the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, the Electricity Act, the FDI, the policy of EPF and a review of the Food for Work Programme.

The CITU, which unlike the AITUC has been very cautious about lashing out at the UPA is finally showing signs of opening its mouth in an uninhibited manner.

In the latest issue of People’s Democracy, this disenchantment of the CITU comes through in an article entitled, ‘‘From Hope to Despair On To Struggle Path,’’ by senior leader, W.R.Varada Rajan. There is a call for the path of ‘‘struggle by renewed determination’’ because this UPA was following the NDA economic policies. It is a sure sign that the differences between the Left and the UPA cannot be expected to be resolved now that the elections are drawing near.