Historic Strike in Bhilai

2nd September 2015 saw a historic unity and industrial action by
workers in Bhilai.
Central trade unions AITUC, CITU, AICCTU; independent left unions
Pragatisheel Cement Shramik Sangh, Loktantrik Ispat Evam Engineering
Shramik Sangh; and the left Sanyukt Trade Union Manch (including TUCI
and NTUI) brought all sections of the Bhilai working class into the
strike.

90% of the contract workers of the Bhilai Steel Plant struck work in
an unprecedented manner, while even the permanent workers participated
significantly.

ACC Holcim – both old and new plants saw a total strike by contract
workers and construction workers. Significant number of permanent
workers also responded spontaneously to the appeal.

Majority of contract workers of the NSPCL Power Plant also struck
work. Dalit safai workers of the Sector 9 Hospital actively
participated in the strike action.

Scores of women and men strikers of the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha
(Mazdoor Karyakarta Committee) stood at 19 points leading to the
Bhilai Industrial Estate distributing pamphlets and appealing to
workers to join the strike. Hundreds of small and medium units
remained closed as workers spontaneously responded.

The notable exception was in the Bhilai Engineering Corporationwhere
the pocket union of Prabhunath Mishra (a conspirator in the Niyogi
murder case) and Seemanchal Tripathi forced their way in with 200
strike breakers.

Bansi Lal, Lakhan Sahu, Kaladas Dehariya, Ramakant Banjare, Saraswati
Sahu, Kalyan Singh Patel, Neera Dehariya, Rajkumar Sahu, Sudha
Bharadwaj

Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (Mazdoor Karyakarta Committee)