Massive Workers Rally!

On the call of intensifying a continuous, militant and decisive working class struggle across the country

March to President House!

13 November 2022, 11 am onwards; From Ramlila Maidan to President House in Delhi

Ground Report | MASA Leaflet

Repeal 4 anti-worker labour codes!

Stop privatization of the public sector industries and assets!

Ensure – Right to union-strike-protest, Permanent jobs, Equal pay for equal work, Daily min wage ₹1000, Monthly unemployment allowance ₹15000, Social security, Occupational safety, Housing- education-health facilities and Food security!

Stop politics of hatred and division among toiling masses! Curb inflation immediately!

Comrades and friends,

Today the big corporate capitalists, through their loyal Modi government, have launched the biggest attack on the working class and the toiling masses since 1947. At the behest of the Indian and foreign capitalists, four new labor codes have been passed by the Modi government, by abolishing the old labor laws, which are soon going to be implemented across the country. The rights that the working class won after long struggles and sacrifice of thousands of workers – permanent jobs for permanent nature of work, 8-hour working day, right to unionize and strike, job security and social security rights, right to a dignified minimum wage – are all being snatched away today. The labor codes are actually an attempt to take away the basic rights of workers and turn them into bonded labourers.

The Modi government today, is selling the country by handing over all the public assets like rail, airport, port, oil, telecom, electricity etc. to the capitalists. Adani has become the second richest man in the world by acquiring government assets, while our country ranks 101st out of 118 countries on the Global Hunger Index, and even lower than poverty stricken African nations like Nigeria in the Poverty Index. Massive tax exemptions are being given to capitalists, thousands of crores of bank loans of big corporate houses are being waived but GST is being imposed on food items like flour, milk, vegetables etc. and other basic necessities of the masses. Instead of solving the crisis of the public health system exposed during the Corona period, health as well as basic sectors like education, transport are being pushed towards further privatization and out of reach of the working people.

At the behest of Ambani-Adani and all the domestic and foreign capitalists, as the Modi government and different state governments are mounting attacks on the working people all-round, it is simultaneously pursuing the policy of repression and ‘divide and rule’ to suppress any protest. An atmosphere of religious fanaticism and blind-nationalism is being created and the working people are being divided on the basis of religion, caste, region etc. An atmosphere of hatred is being created for political purposes. Protesters are being labeled as ‘anti-nationals’. A large number of social workers and human rights activists are being put behind bars.

These attacks and conspiracies of domestic and foreign corporate capital along with fascist forces can be thwarted only by working-class unity and the militant struggle of the working masses. But in the last several decades, unity and struggle of the working class in the country and in the world has weakened. Along with the changes in production process, the working class has been divided into different categories within itself. In contrast to the revolutionary trend in the working-class movement, compromising and surrendering tendencies gained prominence that has made the ruling class even more aggressive today. The process of implementing the new labor codes in India is a part of the fascist onslaught on the working class, behind which is the direct interest of big capital, domestic and foreign. Due to their compromising tendencies and ritualism, the established Central Trade Unions are failing to direct a continuous, militant and decisive struggle of working class across the country against the new labor codes.

The Farmers’ Movement set an example by running a continuous militant movement against the pro-corporate 3 farm laws that if the working class also launches a militant and decisive struggle against the anti-worker policies made by the government and this exploitative social system itself, then it too will be successful. Such a workers’ movement on a countrywide scale against the new labor codes has not yet been formed, but we have seen many militant workers’ struggles across the country in the past, which has given us hope. The militant struggle of workers in hundreds of factories like Maruti-Honda-Pricol-Allied Nippon, etc., of garment workers in Bangalore, of tea garden workers of Kerala, numerous sectoral struggles including ordnance-mines, ASHA-Anganwadi women workers’ struggles in the unorganized sector, struggle of platform and gig workers etc. The scope of these struggles was local or sectoral, but the kernel of a militant struggle against neo-liberal policies was visible in them. Today, it has become extremely important to channelize the struggles against new labor codes, privatization and for securing legitimate rights of working class, into a comprehensive, continuous, militant and decisive struggle that is directed towards the revolutionary transformation of this oppressive social system based on exploitation itself.

Mazdoor Adhikar Sangharsh Abhiyan (MASA) is a platform of militant workers unions/organizations from across the country, committed to carry forward the struggle of the working class in this direction. To repeal the anti-worker labour codes and for pro-worker labour reforms, to put an end to the process of selling the country through privatization and nationalize key industries, for dignified permanent employment and legitimate rights of all workers in the organized-unorganized sector, MASA is running a comprehensive campaign across the country. As a culmination of this process, on 13th November 2022, the struggling workers organizations from across the country will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan with a huge rally on the streets of Delhi to achieve these demands. In this struggle, active cooperation of every conscious worker is needed. Only our class unity can lead us to a decisive victory. Through this leaflet, we urge you to join MASA’s campaign and Rally, contribute to further this campaign in your locality/workplace, and take an active part in this struggle!

The working class has nothing to lose but their chains, and the whole world to win!

 MASA Central Demands:

1. Immediately repeal 4 anti-worker labour codes! Reform labour laws in the interest of workers!
2. Stop all means of privatization of PSUs and sectors like bank, insurance, coal, gas-oil, transport, defense, health, education etc.!
3. Ensure unconditional fundamental and democratic right to unionize, strike and organize protests! Declare lay off, closure, retrenchment illegal!
4. Abolish contract system, NEEM trainee scheme, and all forms of fixed-term employment – Guarantee permanent job till 60 years along with pension, maternity leaves and all other social security and occupational safety norms! Recognize gig-platform workers, scheme workers (Asha-Anganwadi-Mid day meal etc.), IT-ITES workers, domestic workers as ‘workman’ ensuring all rights!
5. Declare Rs. 1,000 daily minimum wage (Rs. 26,000/month) for all workers across the country! Provide ₹15,000/month as subsistence allowance to all unemployed!
6. Ensure job security for the entire year for all rural workers! Ensure universal PDS and pucca housing-water-healthcare-school-crèche near the workplace for all workers, including migrant and rural workers!

Mazdoor Adhikar Sangharsh Abhiyan (MASA)

MASA Constituents:

All India Workers Council, Grameen Mazdoor Union (Bihar), Indian Council of Trade Unions (ICTU), Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), IFTU (Sarwahara), Inqlabi Mazdoor Kendra, Inqlabi Mazdoor Kendra Punjab, Jan Sangharsh Manch Haryana, Karnataka Shramika Shakthi, Lal Jhanda Mazdoor Union (Samanvay Samiti), Mazdoor Sahayata Samiti, Mazdoor Sahyog Kendra, New Democratic Labour Front – State Coordination Committee (NDLF SCC Tamil Nadu), Socialist Workers Centre (Tamil Nadu), Struggling Workers Coordination Committee (SWCC, West Bengal), Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI)

Email – masa.struggle@gmail.com

Contact: Sanjay Singhvi – 9869047758, SV Rao – 9490700933, Amit – 9873057637, Shyambir – 9540886678, Santosh – 9953175766, Somnath – 9896830442, Siddhant — 9582265711

Published by the Coordination Committee, MASA from C-141, Sainik Nagar, Uttam Nagar, New Delhi- 110059