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| Sunday, 3 October 2004 |
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Consider human aspects - Mahadevan H. MAHADEVAN, Deputy General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), in an exclusive interview with SUNDAY OBSERVER staffer M.P. MUTTIAH speaks of the controversial Sethusamudram Project, the effects of globalisation on the working class, the benefits peace could bring to the workers in Sri Lanka, IT Revolution and its consequences, Indian political scenario and the struggle of working people and rural farmers for their rights,and the present situation of the international working class movement. Mahadevan was of the view that human aspects should be taken into
account before Sethusamudram Project is implemented. ``This project is
two-fold. There are people who favour Sethusamudram but at the same time
there is opposition too," he said, adding that there was opposition
to the project as regards environmental hazards. He said "questions had come up as to where they would dump the huge amount of mud that would be removed when digging the sea route and how it would affect the ecological balance. Politically Sethusamudram project could be beneficial, but before implementing the project the ecological and environmental problems should be taken into account. The economy of the country should be considered in the project. Human aspects are more important than money. Further, this project also involves Sri Lankan territorial waters." Mahadevan said "there was opposition from the people over the construction of big dams. "The displaced were neglected. A proper assessment should be conducted over the resulting consequences before commencing this project", he agreed. When asked for his view on the peace process in Sri Lanka, Mahadevan said that Indian workers wanted peace in Sri Lanka. "Workers can fight for their rights only when there is peace and stability. If there is no stability nobody can fight for their rights. Peace must prevail in Sri Lanka. All trade unions, irrespective of their political affiliation, should get together. Stability would lead to progress and development and increase the bargaining power of the working class." Answering a question on the expansion of Information Technology in India, Mahadevan said there were 280,000 IT workers in Bangalore. But these `knowledge workers' were not mobilised under any organisation. They had no working hours or holidays. Although they earned more money, their employment security was not guaranteed. Now they were branded as the Educated Bonded Labour (EBL). He said the problems of IT workers in Sri Lanka were the focus of attention during his conversations with Sri Lankan trade unions. Mahadevan said that the International Labour Organisation recently held a meeting on how to coordinate the Service and Manufacturing sectors to find a solution for IT workers. "In India, the Public Sector workers have now turned to middle class owing to the IT revolution," he said in India adding that organising them under a banner was a challenging task. He said the Bank Employees in India were presumed to be the highest paid. "But now they are forced to unite and protest to revise their salaries." Therefore, the determining factor he said was not solely the salary. In Bangalore already an organisation had been formed. There were more opportunities for them to be mobilised. Referring to globalisation and its impact on workers,the WFTU Deputy General Secretary, said the Indian workers had been severely affected during the last few years. The IMF, the World Bank and the WTO were the three doctors who diagnosed the ills of developing countries. Their medicine was the `LPG', that is liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. "But their results were disastrous. People lost their jobs, unemployment increased. It created a jobless situation for the youth of the future. Although there was growth, simultaneously it created unemployment. This according to Mahadevan had had a serious impact on the Indian people. "The Indian workers began to agitate two years ago. The All Indian Trade Union Congress organised a National Assembly of Trade Unions which was attended by more than 6,000 delegates," Mahadevan added. The INTUC too was a participant of the Assembly that drew a charter of demands. There were trade union actions against privatisation and joblessness. In 2001, mass protest was held opposite the parliament. There was no compromise before the General Election this year, but after the Leftists won 62 seats, the working class became a crucial force. The Common Minimum Programme itself was a compromise. Now it has reached its second phase. The present Indian government is naturally an undiluted capitalist government Mahadevan said, pointing at that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the author of the new economic policy. "Therefore, as a first resort the working class demanded a halt to privatisation of profit making state institutions, secondly, to stop the privatisation of nationalised banks, and thirdly to allocate more money for agriculture. The present demand of the working class is `100 days work' for the rural poor.' The Left parties demanded the removal of foreign advisors, especially from the World Bank and the IMF at the National Planning Commission. They could assist Indian planners, without involving in drawing plans. This was a success of the Left. At the same time, a clear-cut divisive line should be drawn between the previous and present governments. The present one was secular and non-communalistic, Mahadevan added. Replying to a question on the growth of the international working class movement after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Mahadevan said, that it had adverse effects in East European countries. The WFTU had enjoyed the support of the Soviet Union, and now it sustained on its own. Regional branches of the WFTU re-organised themselves. Cuba, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and other countries of Latin America enjoyed a new wind. The trade union movement was responsible for the huge success of President Chavez at the referendum. In Asia Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh trade unions cooperated and coordinated their work. The Chinese trade union federation, though not a member, maintained close relations with the WFTU. It was able to secure a place at the executive body of the ILO two years ago due to efforts of the WFTU. This was the re-emergence of the international working class movement after the setback suffered in the latter part of 1980, Mahadevan said. |
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