The government should levy a tax on the rich to help unorganised sector workers, G Sanjeeva Reddy, president, INTUC, tells Saubhadra Chatterji
For the first time since Independence, INTUC has decided to join an all-India strike. You have joined hands with the Left. What is the reason?
You have to see this in the global perspective. The global economic situation has changed. Throughout the world, trade unions are coming closer to each other. In Europe especially, unions are forging greater unity as they find that they are becoming weaker in the changed global economic situation.
Employers are becoming stronger. This is leading to more problems for the working class. The government and the employers don’t listen to the demands and grievances of the working class. This has compelled us to become united.
But this decision has come against your own UPA government. Why this shadow-boxing?
It’s not a question of protesting against one’s own government. There is no politics involved in this movement. We have kept politics out of our programmes. This is an organised strike on specific economic demands. We met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at least twice recently to talk about these demands. There have been discussions with the government.
This is just an issue-based strike. It is not against government functionaries but against the attitude and policies of the government towards the trade union movement and the demands of the working class. Of course, we are with the government on many other issues because we are a part of the Congress.
But on economic policies, there is a conflict of thoughts. The government’s economic policies are suppressing the voice of the working class. We are taking limited action against this. It is an economic fight and not a political movement.
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The key issue is the price rise. The Left leaders allege your government has totally failed to control prices. Do you agree with this view?
The government hasn’t come out with a policy that gives the poor some relief. The government says price rise is an international phenomenon. We say it may be an international phenomenon but there should be some measures. Last time, when we met the prime minister, he asked us, “What is the remedy?” I told him the remedy is to establish fair price shops for the working class and poor people.
The government gives heavily-subsidised grain to those below the poverty line. A similar step can be taken for the poor workers. Those working in small-scale industries, the unorganised sector or cottage industries are facing a terrible situation. Rice is being sold for Rs 30 per kg. How can a worker run his family? If you can’t arrest the price rise as it is an international phenomenon, at least give the suppressed class some relief.
The trade unions have cited another reason for the strike — the demand for a social security fund for unorganised sector workers. But in the last Budget, the government announced a corpus of Rs 1,000 crore for this. Are you unhappy with this?
That was a token amount. The finance minister can’t solve any problem with this amount. There are 350-400 million workers in the unorganised sector. If you distribute Rs 1,000 crore among them, how much will each worker get? This is no social security scheme. We suggest the government levy a tax on the rich to help unorganised sector workers.
The government should get more money for the poor workers in the unorganised sector. Just look at the plight of these workers. They can’t afford to buy expensive medicines, can’t send children to school, and won’t get pension or compensation if they lose their job. Even after 60 years of Independence, if you can’t provide food and drinking water to the country’s workers, what are you doing in the government?
The government is shouting about 8 per cent, 9 per cent economic growth. If you have such high growth, some benefits must reach the poor workers. If all the wealth of the country goes into the pockets of a few industrialists, how will this country run?
This is a battle of principles. Even within our party, there are differences of opinion on these issues. Those who are in power think in one direction while people like us have another viewpoint. This struggle is now coming out in the open. This is a struggle for existence and proper distribution of the nation’s wealth.
The UPA government is coming out with the Food Security Bill. How far do you think this can address the problem of price rise for the working class?
The Bill is under consideration. But some people in the government have already started clamouring that the economy has not recovered fully, there is high fiscal deficit, low tax collections, etc. When the Bill gets passed and is implemented, we will see what the benefits are. But what is the government doing right now to solve the problems of the poor?
On July 5, the Left parties joined hand with BJP for an all-India strike. Now, the Congress-affiliated trade union is joining hands with the Left for another strike. Isn’t it embarrassing for the party?
Not at all. When during 2004-08, Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi ran the first UPA government with the help of the Left parties, did anyone feel embarrassed? There is nothing to feel embarrassed about. The economic situation has forced us to join hands with the Left to give relief to the poor workers of the country. The Congress has the same dharma — providing relief to the poor. We, as part of the Congress, are just fulfilling our dharma.