Rohit Kumar
Sri Vijaya Puram, 30 May 2025
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Andaman & Nicobar State Committee marked its Foundation Day right now by organizing a seminar on “Trade Union Rights” at Shaheed Bhavan, Anarkali. The occasion highlighted the historic journey and continued relevance of commerce union activism within the nation, notably within the context of the alleged rising opposition to current labour reforms.
Presiding over the seminar, D. Ayyappan, Vice President of the CITU State Committee, traced the evolution of the commerce union motion in India since 1921 and the formation of CITU in May 1970. He emphasised CITU’s pivotal function in resisting anti-labour insurance policies, notably because the liberalization of the Indian economic system in 1991. Ayyappan identified that, aside from the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), all central commerce unions have united in protest towards the brand new Labour Codes and different measures perceived as detrimental to employee rights.
“Lakhs of workers from various sectors including banking, insurance, and government services are actively participating in these nationwide struggles,” he stated. Ayyappan additionally knowledgeable the gathering about CITU’s ongoing marketing campaign throughout the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which can culminate in an All India Strike on July 9, 2025.
Addressing the seminar, B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary of the CITU State Committee, mirrored on the group’s decades-long battle to safe employees’ rights within the islands. Citing a major achievement, he stated that over 9,000 day by day rated employees in numerous departments of the A&N Administration benefitted from the grant of 1/thirtieth of pay plus Dearness Allowance — a victory that got here after practically 30 years of agitation led by CITU because the early Nineties.
He burdened the significance of additional strengthening CITU and its affiliated unions to maintain and advance the employees’ motion within the islands.
Anand Rajan, Secretary of the CITU State Committee, additionally addressed the seminar and reiterated the necessity for collective motion to safeguard labour rights.
