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The 10 day-old strike
in June 1999 by the AP Road Transport Corporation workers of Karimnagar zone
which covers the 5 North Telangana districts of Karimnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad,
Adilabad and Khammam is a pointer to the new trend of class unity cutting across
trade union affiliations as well as the growing militancy in the working class
movement in the country.
The strike, which
started from the midnight of June 4th, brought the entire bus services in North
Telangana to a standstill for the next ten days. Around 2700 buses were off the
roads with an estimated loss of over 1 crore rupees a day. The strike involved
the entire work force of around 22000 working in the Karimnagar zone. All the
four trade unions formed into a Joint Action Committee which led the strike.
The AP state
government headed by the World Bank stooge, Naidu, tried by all means at its
disposal to thwart the strike from the very next day after the strike began. The
transport minister warned that the strike was illegal and that if the workers
did not withdraw the strike immediately action would be initiated against them.
The casual workers were threatened that their services would be terminated if
they did not attend their duties immediately. He declared that the strike was
being enforced by the CPI (ML) [PW] squads citing this as an important reason
for not conceding to the demands of the striking workers. The government’s
spokesmen boasted that none of the demands of the union would be considered and
that there was no other alternative for the workers but to resume their duties.
The local newspapers carried stories of how the leaders of various trade unions
were goaded on by the armed squads of the PW to continue their strike. By
associating the workers with the banned party, the government imagined that fear
could be instilled among the leaders of workers and the stamp of illegality was
sought to be placed upon the movement. Attempts were also made to bring in buses
from other districts, to hire private buses on contract. But all these failed
miserably. The government tactic only boomeranged. The propaganda that the
strike was supported by the party enthused the workers even more. It gave them
moral courage and confidence that the support from the PW would ensure a broader
mobilisation of other sections of the people in support of the strike. As the
strike entered the 10th day the PW gave call for a North Telangana bundh in
support of the demands of the striking workers. Leaders of various trade unions
at the state level also declared their support to the strike and threatened to
extend the strike to the rest of the state. At this juncture, having realised
the strike would assume a more militant form, the Chief minister who appeared
unbudging and extremely adamant until then, suddenly turned tail and agreed to
solve most of the demands placed by the striking workers.
The main demands of
the workers were : increasing the number of long-distance buses in the zone by
another 1000 so as to reduce over-crowding; a halt to illegal transport and
hiring of buses on contract; filling up the vacancies in the garages and other
departments; loans for the construction of residential quarters and for the
purchase of the two-wheelers for the workers; construction of a 50-bed hospital
with all facilities in the zonal head quarter; revoking the system of one-man
operation of buses; implementing the agreement made in January 99 in Nizamabad
region; reinstating the drivers and conductors who were dismissed on the plea of
submitting fake certificates; provision of jobs for the children of the
employees etc. Almost all the demands barring the last two were accepted by the
RTC management. Though it did not agree to the demand of reinstating the workers
with fake certificates, the management, however, assured that it will strive to
arrive at a mutually acceptable settlement.
The fulfillment of
most of the demands has enthused not only the RTC workers of the Karimnagar zone
but also the entire working class in AP.
A special feature of
the strike is the support which the workers got from the people inspite of the
inconvenience they suffered with buses going off the roads for 10 days. By
raising the demand for extra buses, which was more a demand of the people at
large, the striking workers also struck a sympathetic chord among the people.
The road transport
workers’ struggle in North Telangana is an example of how the unity of the
working class, irrespective of their affiliations to the various trade unions,
can bring an adamant management and repressive government to their knees. Today,
when the Indian ruling classes are aggressively pushing ahead with the policies
of globalisation, liberalisation, privatisation at the behest of their
imperialist mentors; when even roads, sea ports and airways are being sold off
to the imperialists and the comprador big bourgeoisie, when shares of the most
profitable PSUs are sold for a song to big business and the FIIs; the success of
the struggle of the workers of the RTC in North Telangana which questions these
very policies pursued by the ruling classes, assumes great political
significance.
The successful strike
by the RTC workers of North Telangana is bound to inspire the workers elsewhere
in the country to come into united struggle cutting across the political
affiliations of individual workers. Without achieving unity of the entire
working class it is not possible to defeat the anti-working class and
anti-people policies and moves of the Indian ruling classes being implemented at
the dictates of the imperialists.
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