Unions oppose Buddha plan to restrict IT strikes

After facing stiff opposition from his own party’s trade union CITU, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s proposal...

After facing stiff opposition from his own party’s trade union CITU, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s proposal to restrict strikes in the IT sector faces another roadblock from the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), which has drawn up plans to build unions in the IT sector.

AITUC General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said, ‘‘If IT sector workers want to go on strike, they cannot be stopped. We are taking up this issue at all-India level.’’

The CPI(M) Politburo had discussed a proposal for restricting strikes in some areas of the IT sector after the matter was raised by the West Bengal CM following the September 29 strike when IT workers in Kolkata were prevented from reaching their work place.

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However, the discussions remained inconclusive and the party will come with a detailed paper on the issue.

Bhattacharjee was opposed by the CITU in the Politburo.

Meanwhile, the AITUC has also decided to oppose the Centre on the Pension Bill, the reduction in interest rates on Provident Fund and stop the dilution of labour laws.