Telco Mazdoor Union Holds 22nd Conference in Govindpur

AITUC-Backed Union Elects New Body, Demands Minimum Wage of Rs 26,000 for Contract Workers

Key Points:

• 22nd conference of Telco Mazdoor Union held at Govindpur office under AITUC banner
• New 15-member executive elected; Om Prakash Singh named president
• Union demands Rs 26,000 minimum wage for contract workers at Tata Motors

JAMSHEDPUR — The 22nd conference of the Telco Mazdoor Union, held under the AITUC banner, concluded at the union’s Govindpur office, with Com Ram Ayodhya Ram presiding over the proceedings.

AITUC Deputy General Secretary Com Hira Arkane inaugurated the conference. He spoke on prevailing international and national conditions. He stated that the entire world was facing an oil and gas crisis on account of American imperialist policies. He further demanded an immediate end to both the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US-Iran war.

Com Arkane also launched a sharp attack on the central government’s policies. He said those policies worked against workers, farmers and the general public. He expressed serious concern over rising inflation, growing unemployment and mounting costs of education and healthcare. He called on workers to step forward and intensify the struggle. He declared the day a black day for workers, citing the Labour Codes being enforced by the BJP government in favour of capitalists.

General Secretary Com Ambuj Kumar Thakur then presented the general secretary’s report covering 2021 to 2025. He stated that the contract system had been imposed across organised, unorganised and government sectors. He said the Labour Codes amounted to enslaving workers while handing capitalists a free licence to exploit them. Com Thakur also recalled the union’s proud history under leaders such as Com Kedar Das. Moreover, he demanded equal pay for equal work.

The report was discussed by Com Mudrika Sinha, Com Nigamanand Paul, Com Ramjivan Kamat, Com Vinay Singh, Com Shravan Kumar and Com Shivji Singh. It was passed unanimously. Com Ramjivan Kamat separately presented the four-year financial statement, which was also passed unanimously.

The conference was addressed by AISF State Secretary Com Vikram Kumar and Com Jayashankar Prasad. Between 50 and 60 workers of Telco Mazdoor Union participated in the event. The session was conducted by Com Shravan Kumar.

A 15-member executive committee was elected through a formal election process. The following office-bearers were chosen unanimously:

Other executive members include Com Hazari Lal, Com Pradeep Sundariyan, Com Naren Kumar, Com Ganesh Gop, Com Harvinder Singh, Com Zafar Khan and Com Sonu Thakur. Com B.N. Singh, S. Vishwakarma, Rajendra Ram and Ram Ayodhya Ram were nominated as invited members.

The union resolved to pursue the following agendas at Tata Motors in the coming period:

• Verification of minimum wages, PF, ESI and holiday pay for contract workers
• Agitation against deductions from permanent workers’ allowances
• Support for the ongoing convoy drivers’ agitation and push for its resolution
• Campaign to enforce a minimum wage of Rs 26,000 for contract workers
• Struggle to lift the ban on stepping out during lunch hours, in place since the Covid-19 period

The conference concluded with a collective resolve to wage a vigorous struggle for workers’ interests at Tata Motors. The trade union movement in Jamshedpur has seen rising activity in recent months. The torch rally and strike actions earlier this year had similarly underscored growing worker unrest across the city.