The all India General Strike of September 7 called by the central Trade Unions met with an overwhelming response from the working class and the masses at large. Even sections of the media recognized it as a second ‘Bharat Bandh.’

The day after the historic September 7 All India General Strike, the Times of India carried an editorial advising unions to "shun bandh politics." The editorial argued, "In a democratic age, bandhs have lost their pre-independence aura and have outlived their purpose. They …reek of the old style of doing politics… With rising literacy and growing economic activity, modern societies search for moderate political methods such as debate, discussions or protests that do not involve public disruption."

We wonder if the paper considers advanced capitalist countries like France and Britain to be 'modern societies' equipped with literacy and all other marks of modernity? What does the paper make of the fact that September 7 was ‘International Action Day’ for workers all over the world, and on that day, millions of French workers poured out on Paris streets against pension reforms, and transport workers of the London metro-rail system observed a 24-hour strike? Why are workers in these unquestionably 'modern' countries showing such zeal for 'outmoded' methods like strikes rather than 'debate and discussion'?!

The September 7 Strike was broader in scope than most previous strikes, and many new sections of workers participated. The effect of the Strike could be seen in ‘No Trade Union Zones’ like Gurgaon, where workers at Honda, Rico, Maruti and other automobile factories struck work and came onto the streets. Transport workers, especially road transport workers in many states including Punjab and Haryana were on strike; in Delhi, the DTC workers held a massive demonstration that was the largest in the last two decades; and in Mumbai, taxis stayed off the streets. In the public sector, the strike was almost total in coal, here even loading and outsourcing workers participated with full strength. In the backdrop of coal privatization, this strike is significant. At the Bhilai Steel Plant, more than 50% contract workers went on strike, which marks a new trend in this sector. State government workers, ASHA and anganwadi workers, para teachers, also participated enthusiastically in many states. Workers in construction, beedi, tea garden, security sectors, head loaders and workers in various industrial sectors joined the strike in large numbers. In many zones, telecom and postal workers too struck work.

However, certain key sections showed vacillation even in this successful strike. While banks and financial institutions largely witnessed a remarkable strike, the SBI branches did not participate, in spite of the fact that their union is led by INTUC, the central TU affiliated to Congress that was nevertheless a part of the strike call. In Chennai, unions affiliated to AICCTU in MRF and Diamond Chain went on strike, but unions affiliated to some other central TUs which were part of the Strike call, did not come forward to make the strike a success. In some public sector units, as also in tea gardens in Assam, some Central TUs appeared divided over the Strike.

Overall, the General Strike was a resounding no-confidence motion passed by India’s working class against the Congress-led UPA Government.

AICCTU and CP(ML) Initiatives on September 7

AICCTU and CPI(ML) made all-out efforts to make the Strike a success. Below is a summary of the Strike actions in various states.

JHARKHAND:

The Central Coalfields (CCL) area witnessed overwhelming response from workers to strike that brought production, despatch, transportation to a total stop and only 20% attendance was registered. A faction of INTUC (Dadai group) as well as BMS opposed the strike in Bermo CCL area but could not prevent workers from participating. In Steel (Bokaro) the strike was quite successful. Many districts of Jharkhand were paralysed as the non-gazetted employees federation had called upon the employees to make strike successful. The unorganised sector workers too participated jointly and under the banner of AICCTU.

The Mugma coalfield area of Eastern Coalfields (ECL), except two mining areas also witnessed a total strike. In Dhanbad's BCCL areas 10, 11 and 12 where AICCTU alone participated (INTUC did not participate), the strike was successful. In Dhanbad BCCL where mainly AICCTU and CITU participated, and JVM, JMM and BMS opposed the strike, the strike was almost complete. In Dhanbad, AICCTU State General Secretary Suvendu Sen led a march and was arrested. The Dhanbad-Tata Express was stopped for three hours. In Bokaro INTUC and a section of HMS supported the management, however, most TUs including AICCTU, CITU, AITUC, UTUC, section of HMS participated. A section of contractual labourers also went on strike.

In Ramnagar, linking the Strike with CPI(ML)'s bandh call, more than 250 workers of the Jharkhand Construction Workers' Union and General Mazdoor Union took out a procession and implemented a road blockade and bandh in the marketplace.

The Jharkhand State Non-gazetted Employees' Federation also observed a successful strike at many places. In Jamshedpur, AICCTU and other left unions held a procession of unorganised workers, while in Ranchi, unorganised workers held a march.

BIHAR:

Successful rallies and strike programmes in Patna, Gaya, Jahanabad, Vaishali, Purnia and Bhagalpur districts. The Administration in Bihar tried to prevent the rallies and strike programmes everywhere citing the coming into force of model code of conduct with the announcement of schedule for the Assembly elections in Bihar. Despite this our comrades and workers were successful in going ahead with their declared call.

In Patna AICCTU held three processions. The Building Workers' Union led by AICCTU State Secretary Ranvijay Kumar held a procession from Kankarbagh and blockaded the local office of the Patna Nagar Nigam. The second procession from AICCTU State Headquarters was led by AICCTU State GS Comrade RN Thakur, as well as Pradip Jha; en route, it converged with a joint procession in which AITUC also participated, and culminated in a public meeting by AICCTU-AITUC at R Block. The third procession took place in Phulwari Sharif, protesting at Sudha Dairy with the demand to take back 4 workers who had been laid off and culminating in a public meeting. Students joined employees to hold a procession on the Magadh University campus.

In Bhagalpur 3000 unorganised workers under the banner of AICCTU actively made the strike a success. The Building Workers' Union held a big rally and supported by AISA comrades who also took out a solidarity march. The rally culminated in a public meeting addressed by AICCTU National Vice President S K Sharma and others.

In Gaya AICCTU State President Com. Shyamlal Prasad and Sudama Prasad led hundreds of workers in a rally and public meeting. In Jahanabad too hundreds of workers led by Com. Mithilesh Yadav took out a rally. Rallies were also held in Biharsharif and Muzaffarpur.

KARNATAKA:

AICCTU’s week-long campaign (comprising leaflets, posters and street meetings) in Bangalore focused on two major centres of global capital – Whitefield, which houses scores of IT companies in its IT parks, and Electronic City. On September 6, a bike rally of AICCTU and CITU was held from Krishnarajapuram to Hope Farm. On September 7, hundreds of factories were forced to down the shutters. The factories closed by agitating workers ranged from garment units to readymix concrete manufacturing companies. IT concerns were not an exception to the forced shut down. Some MNCs declared compensatory holiday fearing workers' anger.

The rally at Whitefield began from Garudacharpalya and culminated in a Rasta Roko at Hoody Circle around 2 PM. The meeting was addressed by V Shankar, National Vice President of AICCTU, and Gopal Gowda, District President of CITU, and presided over by Muniraj, secretary of CITU. At Electronic City too, a vigorous propaganda campaign was held to reach out to thousands of workers in the Bangalore-Hosur Industrial belt. On the day of strike, hundreds of workers along with AITUC members enforced a strike in Veerasandra industrial estate in Electronic City and proceeded to join thousands of agitating workers of all the trade unions at Bommasandra. The public meeting held at the end of the rally was addressed by Com. Appanna, District President of AICCTU, Manjunath, CITU leader, Kotekar, AITUC leader and Shivananda of MTR industries.

At Gangavati, the rally on September 7 was attended by hundreds of striking rice mill workers and unorganized workers of various sectors. At HD Kote, Mysore, hundreds of AICCTU workers demonstrated in front of the taluka office. The demonstration was addressed by Com. Javaraiah, State Secretary of AICCTU, Mallikarjuna and Nanjunda of our construction labour union and Kempuraj.

TAMIL NADU:

AICCTU participated in the All TU strike in TN at 17 centres. In Coimbatore, Tiruvallore, Tanjore and Tiruverumbur AICCTU led the protest with the largest contingent. In Tiruvottiyur, as a result of our consistent efforts also, MRF workers participated in the strike. This is the only factory which went on strike in Tiruvottiyur.

In Ambattur, export garment women workers of Bombay Rayons participated in the strike and this is only garment factory in this area which went on strike. Among the Murugappa group of companies only TIDC workers, where we have our union, went on strike. In Tirunelveli, AICCTU enforced the strike among thousands and thousands of Beedi workers.

In Sriperubudur-Irungattukottai area, ours was the only central TU, which took up propaganda for strike and sought support for the strike.

PUDUCHERRY:

On the eve of the all-India general strike, all the central TUs who were part of the strike call campaigned in all urban and rural areas of Puducherry on September 4 and 6. The Campaign was very effective in the industrial areas of Puducherry.

On 7 September a rasta roko were held at nine important locations in Puducherry region, namely Puducherry town (3 places), Ariyankuppam, Villianur, Bahur, Karikalampakkam, Madagadipattu, Thirukkanur. All the affiliated unions of AICCTU went on a total strike; participation was very effective especially in rural areas. In Puducherry town rasta roko was jointly led by Com. S Balasubramanian, President and Com. S Motilal, State General Secretary of AICCTU. The state government employees, BSNL, and insurance and Bank employees went on strike.

UTTAR PRADESH:

In Lucknow, the Construction Workers’ Union and Scooters India Kamgar Union affiliated to AICCTU participated in the strike. A demonstration was held at DLC office by workers and construction workers. AICCTU held a Mazdoor Rally in Gorakhpur. AISA activists took out a cycle rally from BHU gate in support of the strike that culminated at Bhelupur LIC office where workers mass meeting was on. The sanitation workers’ union affiliated to AICCTU in Allahabad participated in the strike. In Kanpur unorganised sector workers too participated in the strike and activists of AICCTU and other central TUs along with rail workers held up the Lucknow-New Delhi Shatabdi train at Kanpur Central Station. In Sitapur hundreds of CPI(ML) members held a rally in support of the strike. Hundreds of CPI(ML) members and activists demonstrated in Khiri and Pilibhit districts. In Ghazipur CPI(ML) activists sat on dharna in front of the District HQ.

DELHI:

AICCTU and its affiliated unions held several independent rallies and marches to enforce the strike in industrial zones of Delhi. AICCTU's biggest concentration was in Wazirpur Industrial Area where hundreds of workers led by AICCTU leaders Santosh Rai, Mathura Paswan, Munna Yadav, and RP Singh took out a large rally.

In Noida a rally was held by the Rickshaw Union and Street Vendors Association under the leadership of Com. Shyam Kishore. In Patparganj, dozens of workers led by Com. VKS Gautam held a rally. In Bhorgarh Industrial Area in Narela, mike campaign and leaflet distribution took place.

3000 of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) held demonstrations in which the AICCTU-affiliated DTC Workers’ Unity Centre was quite prominent and the BMS abstained.

WEST BENGAL:

Jute mill gates were picketed by AICCTU activists. TMC and BJP had to retreat when our activists resisted their attempt to break the strike at Bhadreswar Jute Mill in Hooghly. AICCTU activists blocked the gate of Kasba Industrial Estate. The unorganised workers in this area supported the campaign here. At Konnagar in Hooghly, 100 construction workers took out a 2-hour cycle rally and held a condolence meeting in memory of the construction workers killed at Commonwealth Games site in Delhi. At Dhaniakhali too our comrades resisted TMC’s forcible attempt to up the shutters of the market. Beedi workers in Maldah, Murshidabad and Nadia participated in the strike in a big way. Rail Hawkers Union affiliated to AICCTU blocked the rail line. Transport workers affiliated to AICCTU had significant role in the strike at Jalpaiguri and the transport workers of Calcutta Tramways Company and Kolkata State Transport Corporation too had a significant role in the strike. Strike was total in Budgebudge and Durgapur-Asansol industrial area. Our members participated in the strike at collieries in Asansol. Activists in North and South Dinajpur held marches on several roads for the success of strike. Our activists picketed gates of Jute mills in Howrah also.

ASSAM:

AICCTU took the leading role in organising various sections of workers in the Strike here. ASHA workers took part for the first time in the strike. In the Barak valley districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi the general strike was almost total. AICCTU concentrated in Cachar and its HQ Silchar where 200 activists were arrested for picketing on the railway tracks. In Dibrugarh too the bandh was total and AICCTU shut down the railway workshop on its sole initiative. A serious altercation took place between security forces and picketers before the security personnel yielded. In Tinsukia, two tea estates where our trade union work has led recent struggles on PDS were closed. Though INTUC was part of the strike its national VP Pawan Singh Ghatowar and the MP of Dibrugarh opposed the strike in tea gardens. However, his orders were not followed even in his own hometown. In Guwahati AICCTU Jt. Secretary of Assam Com. Pankaj Das was arrested with others while leading a blockade of the railway track.

ANDHRA PRADESH:

In Sattupalli, Khammam district, AICCTU and AIALA held a rally on the strike eve led by COrades Damodar and K Janardan. In Kakinada district HQ of East Godavari, 100 activists of AICCTU, RYA, AIALA held a march and joined a day-long blockade organised by the strike Joint Action Committee. AICCTU State President Ch. Nageswara Rao addressed the gathering. In Prathipadu mandal of East Godavari, nearly 500 people held a rally under the AIALA-AICCTU banner and blocked the NH for an hour. In the mandal towns of Jaggampeta, Yeleswaram, Ronthulapudi, Kotanandanu, Sankhavaram, AICCTU and AIALA activists held programmes to observe the strike. In Visakhapatnam, AICCTU activists joined the JAC in implementing the strike.

ORISSA:

A mass rally of 300 workers of different unions like Motorboat Workers Union, Chilka fisher people, Rickshaw Porters Federation of Bhubaneswar railway station, Construction Workers Union and Slum Dwellers Association of Bhubaneswar led by State General Secretary of AICCTU Com. Radhakanta Sethi, AICCTU Secretary Com. Mahendra Parida, Yudhistir Mohapatra, CPI(ML) State Committee member, Ashok Pradhan, President of AIALA Com. Satyabadi Behera culminated in a demonstration in front of the State Assembly. At Patatmendei AICCTU cadres including workers of Motor Workers Association, Khet Mazdoor Sabha led by comrades Rama Krishna Dash, Bidhan Das, Ananta Kar and Ramakrishna Patra held a mass rally. In Rourkela, AICCTU and CITU jointly held a demonstration in front of Rourkela Steel Plant and 100 comrades of Ispat Labour Union and construction workers union joined with us under the leadership of comrades Kedar and RP Singh. In Bhadrak, under leadership of Samar Bala, around 200 workers of construction workers union, and AIALA participated in the rally to DM’s office.

CHHATTISGARH:

Workers organised under the banners of by AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, HMS and INTUC jointly blockaded all the five gates of Bhilai Steel Plant and held demonstration. AICCTU blockaded the Maroda gate and held a meeting in which thousands of contract workers participated. AICCTU also took out a rally from Maroda gate to Bhilai Power House and held a dharna at Ambedkar chowk. Workers from CMM struck work in industrial area and participated in this dharna, which was addressed among others by comrades Brijendra Tiwari and Rajaram. In Raipur, workers from State warehouse and Central warehouse participated in the rally led by AICCTU’s National VP Com. Bhimrao Bagre. Programmes were also organised at Jagdalpur in Bastar.

PUNJAB:

In Chandigarh AICCTU’s two main unions Punjab Engineering College (PEC) Mess Workers Union and Prehari Security Men’s Union actively implemented the strike. The strike was total in PEC, Chandigarh, where mess workers gathered in the morning and locked the mess gates. Security Men Union members also joined the gathering and later all marched to Nehru Park in Sector 22 where all other trade unions were also present. From there all marched to Sector 16, where AICCTU played a leading role. Mess Worker Union President Com. Satish Kumar was one of those presiding. AICCTU Punjab’s Co-Convenor Com. Kanwaljeet addressed the rally.

At Sangrur, AICCTU activists including the newly formed Mobile Tower Guard Union affiliated to AICCTU participated in the rally. AICCTU Convenor Harbhagwan and Brick-kiln Workers union President Gurjant Mansa addressed the rally.

At Mansa, AICCTU accounted for half the rally's strength. The main participation in the strike rally was from the Brick-kiln workers union and Construction Workers’ Union. Bhagwant Samao, Sukhcharan Daanewalia and Jasbir Kaur Natt addressed the gathering. AISA and RYA teams blocked the Mansa Highway for 2 hours with strength of 200 youths. At Barnala, brick kiln workers and Majdoor Mukti Morcha members mainly participated. At Bathinda, AICCTU Ammi Lal addressed the strike gathering.

UTTARAKHAND:

At Haldwani, workers including the state-level leadership of almost all TUs, employees of bank and insurance sector, employees of a few factories and TU leaders from ministries enforced closure of many establishments and assembled at Buddha park. From there they marched to SDM Court. Apart from TU leaders Satyaprakash from CITU, SBI Union (NC Khulbe), KN Sharma of Patiala Bank, CPI(ML) State Secretary Raja Bahuguna and BS Jangi of Kisan Mahasabha also addressed the rallyists. The programme was conducted by AICCTU State in-charge KK Bora. In Udhamsingh Nagar and Pithoragarh our comrades participated in the strike.

RAJASTHAN:

Rallies were held and roads blockaded in various districts of Rajasthan like Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Udaipur, Banswada, Pratapgarh, Ajmer and Kishangarh independently by AICCTU as well as part of the joint action.

GUJARAT:

At Himmatnagar (Sabarkantha district), building and transport workers struck work and 300 attended the rally at District Collectors office under the AICCTU banner. Comrades Dashrath Sinhali (AICCTU working committee), Ranjit Sinh Rathod (national councillor) Vinod Modi, Babubhai Parmar, Navin Varma, Nanjibhai Pagi, Jivaji Parmar among others addressed the rally. The Maharashtra Rajya Sarwa Shramik Mahasangh participated the strike. In Mumbai all PSUs, banks, financial institutions, State & Central Govt. offices, employees of most of the foreign banks participated in the strike and domestic workers, textile mills workers and sugar factory workers went on strike. A rally was held at Azad Maidan. In Pune Corporation, workers did not participate in the strike (as they were on strike in previous week) but they participated in rally with other workers. In Ahmed Nagar municipal and sugar workers, agriculture labourers participated and took part in a rally. In Kolhapur District the LNP-L workers organized rallies in all talukas. In the parts of Marathwada LNP(L) centres participated in the rally.

Box

CPI(ML)'s Jharkhand Bandh

CPI(ML) had given a call for the Jharkhand Bandh in support of the General Strike and against the severe drought and loot of resources in the state. The Party demanded to declare the state drought-affected and ensure adequate relief measures including employment generation and distribution of subsidised foodgrains; a central package of Rs. 20,000 crore for repairing the old canal system and completing irrigation projects; pro-peasant agrarian reforms; an end to corporate loot of mineral resources and corruption.

The Bandh call mobilised more than 30,000 party cadres in 16 districts. It was most intense in Giridih district where the railway track, GT road and main streets of the city remained blockaded by 3000-4000 people at each spot. Nearly 4000 people gheraoed the Birni block office. Rajdhanwar, Gawan, Tisri, Jamua, Debri, Bengabad and Dumri all witnessed mobilisation of thousands of people. Party cadres were arrested in Raneshwar, Jarmundi, Ramgarh, Shikaripara and Hansdiha of Santhal Pargana district. Jamtara district headquarters also remained closed and hundreds of people were arrested here and also in Deoghar district. The Koderma district also witnessed one of the biggest political mobilisations on that day, witnessing the impact of CPI(ML)'s complete blockade of Koderma district headquarters with the active participation of 5000 people on 30 August. FIRs were lodged against 22 of our leaders and unnamed FIRs against 250 people, and on the preceding night itself 8 leaders had been arrested in a raid. People's resentment against that repression expressed itself in the September 7 mobilisation. People also came in streets in hundreds in many places in Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts. Party cadres made the bandh and strike call successful in colliery areas of Bokaro, Dhanbad and Sindri. Districts like Lohardaga, Palamu, Latehar and Daltonganj also witnessed similar protests, while in the state capital Ranchi hundreds of people held out a march and blocked the main road.

Strike Preparations

(Below are some reports from TN on the preparations and background issues in specific sections of workers that came to the fore in the Strike.)

Workers Collect 5 Lakh Signatures to Support Their Demands

AICCTU called for 5 lakh signatures to be collected calling for the September 7 Strike and in support of workers’ demands to control price rise, bring in amendments for trade union recognition, expedite Presidential assent for the Bill to Protect the Interests of Non-permanent Workers. As part of the campaign, 5 lakh pamphlets were distributed in the state to carry the message of the signature campaign and September 7 strike. The signature campaign met with an enthusiastic response.

TIDC Workers in the Campaign

The signature campaign was conducted even as negotiations for long term settlement (long overdue) in TIDC were underway. Initially workers questioned why the signature campaign was being undertaken when the negotiations were still on. But once the campaign took off, these questions vanished. Around 300 TIDC workers were involved in the campaign. TIDC workers took up their campaign not only among the workers in the industrial area but also in areas around the factory. They got 17,950 signatures from the people in their residential areas.
Com. Palanivel, TIDC workers’ Union general Secretary and State Secretary of AICCTU sent SMS to 180 TIDC workers and AICCTU leaders and cadres everyday on the progress of the campaign with details such as number of workers involved, number of signatures secured, hours spent, total signatures secured so far, number of signatures to be secured to reach the target of 30,000. Some TIDC workers were involved in the campaign along with their family members. One such worker’s mother died during the campaign period and Com. Palanivel went to their house; that workers’ family alone got 600 signatures in the campaign in spite of the personal loss.

Pricol Workers

Over 1000 Pricol workers were involved in the campaign and secured more than 88,000 signatures. When they were getting signatures in Mettupalayam train, a woman who signed enthusiastically donated Rs.100. Comrades said they were collecting only signatures and not funds, but she insisted that she would like to contribute. The Pricol activists declined and took only her signature.

They assembled at the gate of Keerthilal Artificial Diamonds factory premises where around 4,000 women workers are employed. The management objected to their presence but Pricol workers did not relent. Having failed in preventing Pricol workers from standing near the gate, management went around the factory and warned the workers not to sign on the signature sheets. Workers who came out of the factory rejected this ‘advice’ and over 1200 signed. One worker asked whether there would be any pay cut if she signed. When the Pricol worker asked her why she asked, she said, “Whenever we sign some papers given by the management and the union, the next month there is a pay cut!” She added that this happens frequently in the factory.

One AIADMK MLA visited a temple in Perur along with his family. Pricol workers approached him for signature and he readily signed. He also told all his family members to sign and asked one of his party members to stay back with Pricol workers and help them in the campaign.

Pricol workers got ITPL workers of Coimbatore to join them in Annur Township where the campaign was taken up among 3000 people. CITU and AITUC comrades of that area responded well to the campaign.

AIYF held its state conference in Coimbatore. Pricol workers on this occasion secured 5,000 signatures in their conference. The campaign was well received by those who attended the conference.

Com. Inbaraj, a Pricol worker who went to Tirunelveli for some personal work got 400 signatures in the train among the passengers.

One woman from Coimbatore called the Chennai office and told one the AICCTU leaders that in the recently announced housing scheme, only those who have pattas will get houses and that we should demand pattas for the workers. When that comrade told her that demand was included in the campaign, she looked forward to a struggle on the issue.

Sriperumbudur Workers

Hyundai workers began their campaign with a hall meeting on July 28 in which permanent and non-permanent workers of Hyundai, SL Lumax, Anil Automotive, Delphi TVS and Foxconn participated. AICCTU National President Comrade Kumarasami attended the meeting. It was decided in the meeting to get 50,000 signatures in the industrial area, to involve 500 workers, to concentrate among non-permanent workers, to implement September 7 strike, to invite Central Trade Union leaders on behalf of Solidarity Forum and organize a public meeting to prepare for the September 7 strike. The message of the signature campaign was taken throughout the industrial belt. Signatures were collected at bus stands where bus loads of workers of almost all the factories in the Sriperumbudur-Irungattukottai area pass. Apart from permanent workers of the area, a few terminated trainees of Hyundai also took part in the campaign enthusiastically. During the campaign Solidarity Forum opened an office in the area. Comrade Kumarasami stayed in the area for three days and was involved in the campaign directly. During the campaign a set of Nokia workers have come into contact and there is scope to develop a team for Solidarity Forum from among them.

Beedi Workers

Com. Rajamanickam, State Secretary, AICCTU, chose a point in Pettai area where all the 11 streets in the area meet and arranged for a digital banner carrying the message of the signature campaign and a table and chairs. He sat there from 6 am to 6 pm everyday along with 3 more comrades of the area. As the campaign picked up, many local workers who came to sign also sat with them for 1-2 hours and got themselves involved in getting signatures. People in the area arranged for food, tea and snacks for those comrades who were sitting there all through the day getting signatures. This went on for 10 days and Com. Rajamanickam has secured 20,000+ signatures, which is over and above the target fixed for the area. He also collected 1600 signatures and Rs.8000 from among the students of a women college nearby.

In Tirunelveli district 53,000 signatures were collected in 13 centers and 500 workers including 150 women were involved.

Export Garment Women Workers

In Ambattur industrial area certain days saw over 200 workers getting signatures among the workers returning after work in bus stands and railway stations and trains. On 21 August 400 workers were involved and 200 of them are women from an export garment unit. On that day there were women in 10 points in the industrial estate carrying pads and pens, distributing pamphlets and getting signatures. They also got signatures from their neighbours in their residential areas.

In Chennai proper, the signature campaign was held accordingly to a well-prepared schedule in 13 centers in the city, led by Comrade Jawahar, State Secretary, AICCTU.

Women Workers in Kanyakumari

The signature campaign was taken up all through the Colachel assembly constituency. A van campaign extensively covered all the areas in the constituency. Women cadres working among unorganized workers led the campaign in the district and involved more than 300 workers in the campaign at various levels. 72,000 signatures were collected.

Powerloom workers

Overcoming the stagnation that had beset the work in this sector, 14 teams of workers conducted the campaign and secured 15,000 signatures. In Salem also around 10,000 signatures were secured among powerloom workers and construction workers.

Contract Workers of Ordnance Factory at Trichy

Contract Workers of Ordnance Factory, who are facing the management’s ire day in and day out as they unioniz, took up the campaign in the areas around the factory in Tiruverumbur. They worked among both permanent workers of the factory and unorganized workers in the areas.

Construction Workers

In Tanjore, Com.Rajan, State Secretary of TN Democratic Construction Workers Union took up the campaign through 22 branches. Office bearers of the branches organized the campaign in their areas among the people.

Rural Workers

In Tiruvallore District among the rural workers more than 5,000 signatures were secured. Vanguards from among unorganized workers organized the campaign. In the same pattern, in Pudukottai district, construction workers took the lead and got 3000 signatures. Unorganised workers of Kanchipuram district participated in the campaign and secured 2000 signatures.

AICCTU was able to reach out to more than 5 lakh people directly. This campaign has enhanced its profile and expanded its influence. Doors have opened for area level work with an organized network. The gap between our capacity and the reality of achieving results has been considerably bridged in this campaign. This campaign was the most organized effort in TN to take the message of the September 7 Strike to the masses.