THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is seemingly more to the ongoing protests by employees’ unions in the KSEB and KSRTC than meets the eye. Close on the heels of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urging trade unions to correct undesirable tendencies, departments under LDF allies are witnessing CITU-backed employees’ protests.
In a way, trade unions have been targeting ministers as they cannot openly attack the CM. At the same time, the protests backed by trade unions affiliated to CPM and CPI against departments under LDF allies have led to resentment within the front.
The party document on ‘new Kerala’, passed at the recent CPM state conference, pointed to the need for trade unions to distance themselves from undesirable tendencies. Presented by the CM, the document was intended to send out a message to the unions, especially the CPM-affiliated CITU, to stay away from unnecessary strikes, thereby supporting industrial growth.
The document also emphasised on the need to strengthen public sector units. Interestingly, employees’ unions are now in a tussle with managements at state-run establishments like KSEB, KSRTC and Kerala Water Authority. While KSEB is witnessing a direct confrontation between the officers’ association and the chairman, in KSRTC, CITU has come out against Transport Minister Antony Raju for his failure to distribute salaries during Vishu.
The Kerala State Road Transport Employees’ Association (CITU) state secretary Santhakumar reminded the minister that CITU too had played a role in his victory in the election and subsequent posting as minister. The KSEB issue has now become a major headache for the Left.
In KWA, employees are planning to launch agitations against redeployment. The protests could be viewed as a reply to the chief minister, who had proposed measures to control trade unions. “The CITU doesn’t indulge in any undesirable tendency. The party document hasn’t said that strikes shouldn’t be organised,” said CITU state president Anathalavattom Anandan.
The issues will naturally come to the party’s attention and it will think about necessary interventions, he said. However, Left commentator N M Pearson said the spirit of the ‘new Kerala’ document is anti-labourer and anti-Left.
“The party document itself is against workers. The ongoing tussles are due to the friction between such a stand and the class struggles. Unfortunately, the agitations are happening mostly in departments under Left allies. It remains to be seen how long these stir will continue,” he observed. With trade unions coming out against different department heads, CPM has already begun efforts to resolve the issues.
Now, Water Authority sees agitation by CITU
The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is the third public sector undertaking under departments allocated to CPM’s allies — after KSEB and KSRTC — that’s seeing the CITU in protest mode. This time, the issue is the delay in implementing pay revision. The KWA Employees Union (CITU) has announced a five-day satyagraha in front of the Secretariat.
It will be launched by CITU state president Anathalavattom Anandan at noon today. P Sasidharan Nair, KWA union’s general secretary, told TNIE that the pay revision file was caught up due to “bureaucratic hurdles”. “Also, there has been delay in availing PF as well as benefits of pensioners and those in service,” he said. CITU has also sought restructuring section offices in KWA.
“Their number can be increased from the existing 235 to 500 if more assistant engineers are appointed,” said R V Santhosh Kumar, vice-president, Association of KWA Officers, which owes allegiance to CPM.