Date:28/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/28/stories/2006122824900400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Workers urged to put up united struggle

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Speakers at the inauguration of the new office of the KSRTC and BMTC United Workers' Union on Wednesday felt the need for a united struggle to secure workers' rights as well as public good.

Inaugurating the office premises, journalist Gowri Lankesh said that on the one hand, there was unrest among the workforce and on the other, a decline in agitation demanding protection of rights.

Workers had been viewing problems on an individual basis.

They could not be blamed for the present situation as the system (the Government) itself had been encouraging anti-worker practices. The system had become pro-rich and bent upon sidelining the working class, Ms. Lankesh said.

Journalist Janagere Venkataramaiah also expressed similar views. The considerable improvement in the services being provided by KSRTC and BMTC was mainly owing to workers, he said, and demanded they should be given due credit.

Exploitation of workers by officers of the corporations was on the rise, he said.

V.J.K. Nair, general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Karnataka State Committee, called for unity among all sections of employees.