GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC, MURTIZAPUR,

DIST: AKOLA

A Project Report on
“ Write a case study on any one historical industrial strike of
India’’
Submitted to Government Polytechnic, Murtizapur, in partial
fulfilment of the requirement for the award of
Diploma In Mechanical Engineering

Submitted By
Sanket Prabhakar Khade

Guided By
LECTURER IN MANAGEMENT

Dr. Sudhir Deshmukh

Department of Mechanical Engineering

GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC, MURTIZAPUR,
DIST: AKOLA
 Index
Sr. No. Topic

1 Introduction

2 Definition

3 Types of strike

4 Causes of strike

5 India general strike 2019

6 Conclusion

7 Reference
Introduction
Ten trade union centres and several independent federations joined together for an
historic general strike on 8 and 9 January 2019. Workers in manufacturing, mining, energy,
transportation, banking, public services, construction and many other sectors took part,
including many Industrial Global Union affiliates. For the first time, agricultural workers and
farmers also called for a solidarity shutdown of rural India.

The unions sent a strong message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Democratic
Alliance ahead of the May 2019 general elections.

The key union demand is to engage in genuine consultation with unions over reform of
labour laws, including the Trade Union Act 1926. Unions demand that the government ratify
ILO Conventions 87 and 98 and stop pro-employer labour law amendments.
Definition of industrial strike
Definition:

In business terms, a strike can be understood as a curtailment of work, due to the collective
refusal of workers to work, which occurs as a response to employee grievances. It involves,
dropping out of work by any number of workers, employed in a particular industry, with an
aim of creating pressure on the employers, to accept their demands relating to pay scale,
working conditions, trade practices and so forth.

A strike is a situation in which the workers act in concert for stopping or denying to resume
work. The relationship between the employer and employee continue to exist though in a
state of hostile suspension.

Types of strikes
 Hunger Strike: Strike in which the employees go on fasting, near the workplace or at
the residence of the employer, to force him/her redress their grievances is called
hunger strike.

 Economic Strike: Economic Strike is the cessation of work by the labors with an aim
of imposing their economic demands like wages and bonus.In such strike, the workers
raise their voices to increase their pay, improve working conditions, facilitate them
with allowances, perquisites, and add-on benefits.

 Stay-in Strike: A type of strike, in which the employees come to the office, as usual,
take their seats but do not work and also deny to leave the office premises, when
asked to do so. When such an act is performed in combination, it amounts to stay-in
strike. Alternately called as sit-down, pen-down or tool-down strike.

 Go-slow Strike: Otherwise called as a slow-down strike, is one in which the workers
do not stop working, but slow down the entire process by deliberately delaying the
production, which results in the reduction of output. This amounts to a serious case of
misconduct, whereby the workmen pretend to be engaged in the work and entitled to
full wages. It is more harmful than the complete cessation of work by employees, as
the resources get wasted, due to delayed working of employees.
  Sympathetic Strike: A type of strike in which the workers of one department, unit,
division, or industry, go on strike, in support of the workers of another department,
unit, division, or industry, who are already on strike. This may be an unjustified
seizure of rights of the employer, who is not even involved in the conflict.

Strike is one of the powerful tool of collective bargaining, used by trade unions and
labor associations to compel the employer to grant several concessions. It can also be
used to protest certain terms of former or proposed agreement amidst the labor and
management.

A prolonged strike may result in lock-out, which is a strategy used by employers to

make trade unions settle down with their terms

Causes of strike
 Dispute relating to minimum wages.

 Salary and incentive issues.

 Increment is not up to the performance.

 Dissatisfaction with the policies of the company.

 Hours of work and interval timings.

 Holidays and leaves with pay.

 Bonus, Provident Fund, and gratuity.

 Withdrawal of any facility or allowance.

 Wrongful dismissal of workmen.

The most obvious reason of strike is the non-payment of wages or salaries to the workers of
the factory by the employers.
Industrial Strike

India General Strike 2019

On the 8-9th of January, 150 million workers went on strike in India. The strike was
organised by ten different trade unions, covering transport, banks, financial services,
government company, power, steel, car and other factory workers. It follows the protests by
farm workers, who are joining in the action. Jamie Woodcock was in Bangalore and attended
the demonstration on the first day of the strike.

In Bangalore the strike was strong, shutting down transportation across the city. On the 8th of
January, the unions called for a demonstration outside the town hall. There was the visible
presence of transport workers (mainly bus drivers), factory workers (particularly aerospace),
and bank workers, who joined a lively picket from across the road. While the weather
reached around 30 celsius, the demo grew more and more packed. Police officers in tan
uniforms, equipped with helmets and large batons, kept their distance at the edge of the
demo.
Most of the flags on the demonstration were red, many with hammers and sickles. In
Bangalore, the most prominent were the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and All
India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC). The AITUC is the oldest union federation in
India and associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI), with a registered membership
of almost 2.7 million. The AIUTUC is the trade union wing of the Socialist Unity Centre of
India (Communist), with a claimed membership of over 2 million. In addition to this, there
were a range of other communist affiliated unions, including AICCTU, TUCC, CITU, and so
on. To an outside observer, the differences between their different red flags with hammers
and sickles could be a little hard to discern. What was clear was that this strike was
mobilising large numbers of workers.

I was introduced to an organiser at the demonstration who explained that in Bangalore the
strike was strongest among public transport workers, industrial workers, bank employees,
insurance employees, anganwadi (child care), and ASHA (accredited social health activist)
workers. He argued that the Modi government was pushing anti-worker and anti-farmer
measures, in particular privatisation, demonetisation, and other recent changes which were
destroying jobs. The strike was “political” as an anti-government action, but also had a series
of demands. The organiser sent the list over WhatsApp:

12-point charter of demands of the working class, supported by JOINT COMMITTEE

OF TRADE UNIONS (JCTU): INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU,
KWU, KGWU, BANK, INSURANCE, JAF and other independent unions. Major Demands:

1. Stop all pro-corporate, anti-worker amendments to Labour laws

2. Against the privatization & corporatization of Transport system proposed in the
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017
3. Implement a national common minimum wage of Rs.18,000/- per month for all
workers.
4. Institute universal Public Distribution System to contain inflation and price-rise
5. For the legislation of compulsory recognition of unions and mandatory registration of
trade unions within 45 days and for the ratification of ILO conventions 87 & 98 (for
freedom of association and right to collective bargaining) in the Parliament
6. Abolish contract labour system. Implement the principle of equal pay for equal work
and regularize contract and all non-permanent forms of employment.
7. Stop the disinvestment of Public Sector Units and disallow Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) in Banking, Insurance, Défense sectors.
8. Regularise the employment of scheme workers as Government employees as per the
recommendations of the 43rd Indian Labour Conference.
9. For the institution of social security fund for the unorganised workforce with
sufficient budgetary allocation and provide Provident Fund coverage for all
unorganised workers.
10. In the context of job losses due to demonetization & economic crisis, implement
urgent measures to generate stable employment and regularize the NEEM, NETAP
and FTE forms of employment through amendments.
11. Increase the eligibility limit & maximum limits for Payment of Annual Bonus,
Gratuity, Provident Fund and ESI. Stop the investment of Provident fund and Pension
funds in the stock markets. Stop the diversion of ESI funds to the Reliance group.
12. Implement the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Committee including a
complete waiver of farm loans and the legislation of the “right to sell at Minimum
Support price”
As the demonstration set off across the city towards freedom park, a large section of the
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) joined. This is affiliated to the Indian
National Congress party - previously Ghandi’s party that is currently in opposition. Their
flags stood out, given that they featured neither red or communist iconography. However,
given the anti-Modi mood on the demonstration, their members looked keen to participate.
The demo itself was led by an auto rickshaw (a common sight in Bangalore), converted with
loudspeakers to lead the chanting. The only part I recognised was one that the crowd replied
“Zindabad!” (or “long live!”), which might have been the second part of “Inquilab
Zindabad!” (or “long live the revolution!”). This was followed by a open top truck with even
more speakers, draped with flags from each of the unions.

I marched with my union, the Independent Workers union of Great Britain (IWGB), flag
which meant I was approached by lots of workers, wanting to know which union it was.
Many of the workers were keen to talk about struggles in India and the UK - as well as some
who just wanted to take selfies. The public sector workers I spoke to wanted to know how
privatisation was being carried out in the UK - as well as whether there had been successful
campaigns against it. There were a small number of tech workers who had come out in
support of the strike. They were keen to make contact with tech workers in other countries as
Bangalore has a large tech and outsourcing sector (with a purpose-built “electronic city” in
the southeast), and there have been limited attempts to organise so far.

I spoke with activists from the CPI (ML) Liberation - a Maoist, mass movement-orientated
faction - that had a prominent presence on the demonstration. After moving away from
guerilla activities, they have been involved in organising groups of previously unorganised
workers like street vendors, as well as supporting landless farmers struggles. One of their
organisers had been out in the regions around Bangalore before coming to the strike,
reporting that it had been successful so far. One of the victories saw workers successfully
shutting down a sanitation plant by holding a strong picket.

Once the demo reached freedom park, its scale and composition became much clearer. The
majority of the workers were aligned with the “red” unions, and political parties were playing
an important role. The crowd of workers was diverse, with a large number of women, as well
as significant numbers of visible Muslims. As the demonstration stopped, the crowd broke
into its different sections to watch the speeches from the back of the open top truck. Chai
sellers moved through the crowd and smaller impromptu debates started happening away
from the speakers. Just around the corner the riot police drank chai too, some under the
shadow of another converted truck - this one equipped with the large water cannon at the
ready.
Conclusion

The strikes represent a serious challenge to the Modi government, particularly as it brings
together the large trade unions, some of the new strikes by workers like the ASHAs (with
their links to many rural communities), and the farmers’ struggles. Although it can be very
challenging to comprehend the political dynamics as an outsider in India, these different
groups coming together is a moment of class recomposition filled with potential.

Reference
http://www.industriall-union.org/indian-workers-hold-biggest-strike-in-history

http://www.industriall-
union.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/2019/INDIA/industriall_in_solidarity_with_indian
_affiliates_ref_general_strike_10-01-2019.pdf

http://www.industriall-union.org/search?
q=&lang=en&page=139&language=en&from=790&sort=latest

https://notesfrombelow.org/article/india-general-strike-2019