HVK Archives: Largest TU status likely for BMS
Largest TU status likely for BMS - The Observer
A N Bajpal
()
12 November 1996
Title : Largest TU status likely for BMS
Author : A N Bajpal
Publication : The Observer
Date : November 12, 1996
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh is all set to be recognised
as the country's largest trade union, as the standing
committee for verification has given its verdict on
different trade unions' membership claims.
The provisionally verified rolls based on 1989 membership
put the strength of BMS as 31,17,000. The membership of
other major trade unions are: Indian National Trade Union
Congress (INTUC), 27 lakh: Centre of Indian Trade Unions
(CITU), 19 lakh: Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), 12 lakh: and
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), 9 lakh.
The committee, set up specifically for the verification
purpose, had asked the trade unions to send in their
membership rolls for 1989.
The committee, at a recent meeting, discussed the figures
and information sent by the trade unions and submitted
its findings to the government.
Sources said that the government is likely to give its
final verdict on the basis of these findings, declaring
the BMS as the largest national trade union any time now.
The BMS, unlike other trade unions, does not claim a
formal affiliation with any political party. Working
president R Venugopal and working secretary O P Aghi of
the BMS, however, concede that their trade union movement
is firmly committed to the ethos of Hinduism - a philoso-
phy to which the Bharatiya Janata Party has a deep com-
mitment.
To that extent, they say, the BMS has close affinity with
the BJP.
But, they explain, their trade union operates indepen-
dently of the BJP, as unlike the leaders of other trade
unions, their leaders keep away from political activities
of the BJP. If a BMS man wants to join the BJP, he must
quit the BMS. The two missions cannot be combined.
The BMS is planning to hold countrywide processions and
public meetings on November 21 against the government's
economic and industrial policies, with the focus being
mainly on the bonus issue.
The BMS is not happy with the government's recent deci-
sion abolishing salary ceiling for entitlement to bonus,
as the decision applies solely to government servants and
is valid for the last financial year only.
It wants the Payment of Bonus Act made applicable to
industrial workers too in both the private and public
sectors, with the current salary ceiling of Rs 3,500
raised to higher limit. The BMS wants the bonus law to
include in its scope all categories - temporary, perma-
nent, casual and contract workers.
Some of the other demands raised by the union are:
Develop a model of swadeshi economy based on self-re-
liance.
Mobilise the countries of the South to resist pressures
from the North.
Regulate the inflow of foreign capital into the country,
the entry of foreign industries, foreign technology and
foreign aid, and take effective measures for increasing
domestic savings.
Tell world organisations firmly that the Indian patent
law, which permits only patenting of process and not
products, is best and should be adopted by other coun-
tries.
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