20 AND 21ST FEBRUARY, 2013 GENERAL STRIKE

Dear Comrades,

FORWARD TO ALL INDIA GENERAL STRIKE

20 AND 21^ST FEBRUARY, 2013

For the first time in the history of India all the eleven (11) Central Trade Unions and thousands of Independent Federations have given a call to the workers to observe 2 days All India General Strike on 20 and 21^st February, 2013 protesting against the policies of the Government. Millions of workers across the country in private sector, public sector, Central & State Govt. employee sector etc. will join the strike to make protest louder and stronger as never before keeping in view the total unity of the trade unions.

Today is the right moment to rise in protest against intolerable price rise, mounting unemployment, mass contractualisation of permanent posts, accentuating poverty, violation of labour laws, failure to provide social security to the workers like Gramin Dak Sevaks demanding Rs.10,000 p.m. as minimum wage, maternity benefit, old age pension and food at cheap price through Public Distribution System. The AIPEDE appeals to all Gramin Dak Sevaks and postal workers to join this massive historic protest breaking all barriers to mount the counter offensive against the non-performing govt. who have brought the country to the brink of a disaster. Let all of us stand up and fight. This is perhaps one of the rarest moments. People are boiling in anger against poverty, corruption, mis-governance etc.

A dreadful spell of slow down of the economy has set in, the recession is causing loss of wages and erosion of income. Inflation is hitting the sky, rise in the price of atta, dal, oil, all that is essential for daily life are sky-rocketing.

 

Disparity of income is becoming intolerable. The rich and super rich alone  benefit from the so called economic development. In contrast, nearly 70 per cent of the people live in poverty. Even safe drinking water is not provided let alone the question of supply of power to the mute millions. The vast sections of the population have been bypassed by the course of economic development.

The workers in the organized sector also face grim violation of the labour laws. There is a massive inflow of contractual labour who are forced to work at  very low wages almost ten hours a day. It is only the contractual job that is being provided by the private corporate and by the govt. In Postal, Gramin Dak Sevaks workers are facing discrimination in all respects. Repeated requests are yielding but no positive result.

Let us all rise in protest and ensure total participation of the Gramin Dak Sevaks workers in 2 days All India General Strike on 20-21 February 2013. It is the right time to go into the action because of the total unity of the trade unions. The Postal workers including Gramin Dak Sevaks must join this national programme of militant action on 20 and 21^st February, 2013.