Laboured efforts

The bad news continues for the CPIM8217;s trade union arm, CITU. From being the country8217;s third largest labour organisation in 1989, it has slipped to fifth place as per a recently concluded verification of unions8217; membership claims made in 2002. Now, its grip on PSUs is also becoming weak. In the polls held at Bharat Heavy Egrave;lectricals Limited units across the nation this year for deciding the structure of the joint committee to engage with the management, CITU managed to retain only two of the five units it controlled in 20028212;and that too because elections weren8217;t held in Bhopal and the 2002 status quo was maintained. Its loss has been a gain for the CPI8217;s AITUC and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha. Wonder if BHEL workers are miffed over the CPIM bosses8217; strident opposition to disinvestment; most privatised PSU workers are better off today than during the sarkari days.