The Hindu : National : Working class suffering due to globalisation: CITU

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Thursday, Jan 18, 2007
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Working class suffering due to globalisation: CITU

Special Correspondent

"Capitalism has failed in using technology for the larger human good"

M.K. Pandhe

Bangalore: Sixteen years of globalisation had been severe on the Indian working class with downsizing of manpower, increasing workload, price rise of essential commodities, removal of the social security net and marginalisation of trade unions, said M.K. Pandhe, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) president.

Delivering the presidential address at the fifth CITU conference here on Wednesday, he said the trade union movement found itself in a particularly "difficult situation." Even as the United Progressive Alliance Government was bowing to pressure from the U.S. in framing its economic and foreign policies, Sangh Parivar forces were whipping up communal sentiments.

Systemic failure

The inability of capitalism to utilise the phenomenal leaps in production technology for the larger human good reflected its inherent flaws. The economic slowdown in the U.S. and in other developed nations was an indication of systemic failure. This was in stark contrast to China, which has had sustained industrial growth for 25 years, he said.

There was a phenomenal growth in inequality with 10 per cent of the affluent accounting for 85 per cent of the world's assets. He said the fact that 800 million people in the world suffered from hunger reflected the hollowness of the argument about elimination of poverty through globalisation.

Mr. Pandhe spoke about the alarming expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) even after the end of the Cold War. The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, formed in 2001 was a "big jolt" to the NATO's expansionist designs. Resistance to "America turning the world's policeman" was also coming from Latin American countries, which had witnessed a resurgence in the socialist movement. America's bid to control the oil resources of West Asia had resulted in a "fiasco," especially in Iraq, and the entire region had become "the hotbed of anti-U.S. struggles."

In this geo-political situation, the trade union movement was today at a crossroads, Mr. Pandhe said. Unions in advanced capitalist countries were unable to confront globalisation policies. There was a concerted effort to corrupt and "de-ideologise" the movement, and this was hampering movements across the globe from working together. ."

International Labour Organisation-India director Leyla Tegmo Reddy said there was a need to address the problems of workers in the informal economy, who lacked social security. Issues of women and migrant workers too needed to be addressed, and the ILO was keen on working with trade unions in this regard. The conference, being attended by 2,500 people from all parts of India, also has 80 delegates from 40 countries. The conference will culminate in a rally on January 21.

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