DRAFT SENT TO TUI P&R BY NCCPA

Draft sent to Comrade Quim Boix GS TUI (P&R) on 7.6.2020 by NCCPA

The TUI (P&R) of WFTU strives to unite the entirety of pensioners and retirees of the world under its revolutionary banner to focus the attention of a powerful struggle against capitalist globalization. The pensioners and retirees of Asia also like their counterparts are under the direct attack of forces of liberalization. The countries of Asia are generally developing or under-developed countries and after embracing globalization have intensified the attacks on pensioners and retired.

Most of the Governments in Asian countries , having adopted the  neo  liberal economic policies at the behest of IMF have already replaced the statutory defined benefit pension schemes with the defined contributory one, whereby the employees under these governments have lost a viable social security for ever.  In India, the new scheme was introduced by the  Federal Govt. in 2004 and has now been adopted by almost all provincial governments except the State of West Bengal, where a communist led government was in existence  at the relevant point of time.   The main objective of the switch over the new contributory scheme was to create a huge pension fund controlled by the private sector to which a sizable amount will flow periodically and make it available for corporate bodies  at a cheap rate to maximise profit.  Presently the employees who retire after 30-40 years of active service are not even guaranteed a minimum pension.

The privatization spree of Government and Public Sector Services in India is removing the social security guarantees that existed hitherto. Almost this is the general trend in other Asian countries too.

As part of the increasing attacks on pension and social security, the rulers have started to severely attack and snatch the hard won rights of Trade Unions.

Another important aspect of the neo liberal policies is the increasing attack on labour related rights and privileges obtained through long and sustained struggles. The labour welfare le enactments are being annulled one after another.  Minimum wage concept is being discarded.  The facilities like health care, housing, social security, recreational etc. which were mandatory under the rules have been made optional at the mercy of the employer.  The unions in many of the Asian countries have been resisting  these onslaughts through struggles, the details of which are to be catalogued for a better and wider movement to take shape.  In India, the Pensioners organisations under the NCCPA (National coordination committee of Pensioners Associations) have been taking part in all the resistance movements organised by the workers.

Now, taking advantage of Corona, these pro liberalization governments are imposing new economic offensives on us. All workers and pensioners joint protests are impossible in the traditional forms at present as large assemblies are banned. Therefore the Central and State Governments find it convenient to tighten labour laws. Layoffs and unemployment are increasing. Migrant labourers are under heavy stress. Work hour protection is likely to be removed. Pensioners and Employees are facing compulsory Dearness Allowance cuts for several months in addition to wage cuts. But there is no control over spiralling prices of essentials. Wage and pension cuts have been employed freely by the Federal Government as also most of the State Governments  in India in the name of combating the financial difficulties caused by the lockdown on account of Corona disease.    Similar actions must have been initiated by other countries too .  In India, where the wages and pension is meagre,  the cut in entitlements has caused untold miseries especially for those who are in the lower wage group.  In the case of pensioners the agony caused by such inhuman approach is tremendous as the pensioners are compelled to bear additional expenditure due to the lock down for day to day existence and especially for health related difficulties. This is the general suffocation.

Lack of sufficient public health infrastructure is another common problem in almost all countries of Asia. Senior Citizens are more vulnerable. Roofless and jobless migrants are also more vulnerable. There is no proper methodology to extend financial help to the seriously affected. Asian countries because of thick and heavy populations are getting the brunt of attack by this calamity.

New forms of protests are required. The usage of all platforms of social media should be increased by our pensioners organizations and their members against all injustices and machinations of pro corporate ruling classes. A wider and strong public opinion has to be created by exposing the discriminatory actions of rulers in all countries.

We therefore strongly demand by raising our TUI banner:

1. Stop all attacks on pensioners and workers.

2. Stop compulsory recoveries from workers and pensioners including impounding and cancellation of Dearness Allowance on par with cost of living index.

3. Ensure sufficient financial relief to all weaker sections and migrant labourers and retirees .

4. Stop spending billions for Defence annually and start strengthening public health infrastructure.

5. Stop privatization of Government and Public Sector institutions and strengthen them as they are the only guarantee against crisis.

K.Ragavendran

TUI (P&R) Coordinator for Asia