THE SPEECH BY R. CHANDRASEKHARAN, ILO GOVERNING BODY MEMMBER IN THE BRICS MEETING HELD AT BEIJING
FLEXIBLE EMPLOYMENT – WORKERS RIGHTS AND INTEREST PROTECTION
R.CHANDRASEKHARAN
INDIAN NATIONAL TRADE
UNION CONGRESS (INTUC)
DEAR BROTHERS, SISTERS AND COMEREDS ON THE DIAS AND OFF THE DIAS,
At the outset, I thanks Br.Comred. Jang, my colleague in ILO GB and my dear colleges giving this occasion to participate this great conference in the historic nation and largest population in the world CHINA, may I express my thoughts and views on the subject.
Flexible employment is the new form of slavery in the modern era which denies the living rights of the workers.
As we know the industrial Revolution originated during the eighteenth Century and the unity of workers and trade unions are the by product of this revolution.
The progress and economic developments are measured by the growth of AGRICULTURAL, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND SERVICE sectors. The Gross Domestic Products – GDP yard – stick were considered to find out the growth and growth rate of any country. It is the undisputed truth that the GDP is contributing by the physical and mental activities of the working class.
But it may be noted that a proper sharing is not providing to most of the workers to meet their livelihood and to maintain their life in a decent living standard. The benefit of development and growth should be reached to each individual by way of wages, job security and other social security measures.
The world have moved through different forms of economic activities mainly CAPITALISM, SOCIALISM, FABIANSOCIALISM and now THE MARKET ECONOMY.
The system of market economy were seriously strengthened by globalisation. This system claims that the entire activities connected with AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND SERVICE should be throne to market with out any control and the market will lead the competition and thereby the economy will grow up. By this theory labours also being thrown to the market just like any other commodities and to protect their interest they are insisting for flexible employment, flexible working time/working hours etc and also flexible wages.
In the flexible employment there is no job security, wage stability and day to day life of the workers itself become under threat, just like the SWORD OF THE DAMOCLES on the head.
The world working class have a great history for achieving eight hours work, wage pattern and other social security measures through the decades of agitations. Now all of them have been thrown out with out any humanity or social justice. The present economic system leads to centralise the world wealth in the hands of few people in the society.
In this context the BRICS FORUM particularly the trade unions in this sector have a pivotal role to prevent and take the lead against the exploitation of workers by this sort of flexible employment.
The flexible employment system is totally against the convention 158 and recommendation 166 of International labour organisation(ILO ).
In my country INDIA, after our independence in 1947 our founding fathers of the great nation had made so many labour laws and enactments to safe guard the interest of the working class.
But now all of those labour protections are under freezing or in total changes following the market economy system by the Government of India. Against this sort of anti labour attitude of our Government the entire trade unions in the country are in the path of agitations. A national coordination committee is also formed under the leadership of Dr. G. Sanjeeva Reddy, President INTUC. The Trade Unions are literally neglected from consultation. Present Government of India has been so anti labour and autocratic in their attitudes.
Now the some countries particularly developed countries like United States, United Kingdom, Japan and other European countries whom had argued for speedy implementation of the globalisation, they themselves are facing very crucial economic situations in their countries.
It is noticed that from European Union many countries have get out of it and trying to have their own local standing. The United States are trying to withdraw from their globalization policy and to bring back their industrial and service sectors to their own nation.
The economic crises faced by Greece is in front of us and it should be a lesson for each country.
The BRICS countries are having nearly the half of the total population in the world. Our 5 member countries have sufficient human strength, very good market potential and also a dynamic developing economy.
In this situation along with the growth and development the living standard of the working class also should be protected. We should jointly stand for the implementation of ILO conventions and recommendations in its full meaning and spirit.
We should also make the slogans for achieving the real share of the economic growth to the working class in each country. We should pursue the Governments to make proper and necessary enactments against the labour exploitations and to up – lift the living conditions of the workers and also for the decent work and decent life.
May I conclude with the ‘GREAT WORDS’ of my father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.
“WHAT THE TWO HANDS OF THE LABOURER CAN ACHIVE, THE CAPITALIST WILL NEVER GET WITH ALL HIS GOLD AND SILVER’’ JAIHIND