CITU appeals to trade unions to unite for a common cause

CITU today said all trade unions representing the National Joint Council on Steel (NJCS) on wage revision should unitedly fight for "greater benefit" of steel workers as their "infighting" had affected the working class.
    
"I appeal to all trade union leaders to refrain from issuing statements and blaming each other for the failure of settlement of wages of steel workers. They should form a common platform in the greater interest of workers," CITU president MK Pandhe told a press conference here.
    
The management was taking advantage because of infighting among trade unions and delaying wage settlement, he said. "Because of our infighting common workers are deprived of wages."
    
The wage revision of workers was due since January one, 2007, but no positive decision had been taken on it, Pandhe said.
    
The trade unions were demanding merger of 78.2% DA with basic, 28% fitment, five-year wage agreement and benefits provided to executives and separate agreement for
contract workers.
    
The CITU had observed a strike in all the steel plants on October 30 and 31 demanding early revision of wages of workers.