Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Trade unions merger, a precursor to Cong. unity?

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM April 21. The merger of the INTUC and the NLO at the district-level is being formalised in a phased manner all over Tamil Nadu. The leaders of these two organisations have expressed the hope that the merger will act as a precursor to the coming together of all factions into the Congress.

Today's function here for the official merger of the trade unions was presided over by the former Union Minister, Vazhapadi K.Ramamurthy, who recently disbanded the Rajiv Congress and joined the Congress. The State vice-president of the INTUC, R. Sengaliappan, wished that Mr. Ramamurthy should also occupy a plump post in the INTUC at the State level.

Recalling that he used to request the late TMC leader, G.K. Moopanar, to come back to the Congress, Mr. Sengaliappan said he recently urged the present TMC leader, G.K. Vasan, also to do so. The Congress Jananayaka Peravai leader, P. Chidambaram, whom also he met, was also considering rejoining the Congress, Mr. Sengaliappan said.

The governance in Tamil Nadu alternated between the DMK and the AIADMK and none in the Government seemed to be interested in labour issues. When the trade unions jointly put up a struggle for an increase of the wages of workers in tea plantations, it came as a shock for them that the wages were cut down and the Government remained a silent spectator, he said.

Neither the Central Government nor the State Government seemed to be concerned about the plight of the textile sector. On the one hand, mills were closing down one after another in quick succession, and on the other, the existing mills were resorting to lay-offs and retrenchments, but the Governments pleaded helplessness to stem the rot. Mr. Ramamurthy said the two unions had identical views, and hence the merger came about naturally. He called upon the members to shed off any reluctance to mingle with their counterparts, and assured them that depending upon the eligibility criteria, they would find a place on the executive of the reinvigorated INTUC.

The meeting passed two resolutions: one endorsing the merger and another to authorise Mr. Ramamurthy to suitably accommodate persons recommended by Mr. Sengaliappan in the administrative set-up.

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