Internal rift weakening unions, says INTUC president Sanjeeva Reddy in Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur, Aug 25: Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) National President Dr. G. Sanjeeva Reddy has urged all unions across the country to set aside their internal rivalries and unite under one platform to protect workers’ rights. Speaking at the two-day executive meeting of the Indian National Steel, Metal, Mines and Engineering Employees Federation in Jamshedpur, Reddy stressed that managements and governments are taking advantage of divisions within trade unions.

More than 200 representatives from across India, including senior leaders of INTUC, Tata Workers Union, Tata Motors Workers Union, JCAPCPL Union, and other federations attended the meeting. Senior Congress leader and Katihar MP Tariq Anwar was also present.

Call for Unity Among Unions

Addressing the gathering, Reddy said that the biggest challenge before INTUC today is the lack of unity among trade unions. “Due to internal differences, we are becoming weak. Instead of fighting for workers’ rights, unions often end up fighting among themselves, which benefits management,” he remarked.

He emphasized that INTUC has enough resources to strengthen its activities. “There is no shortage of funds in INTUC. We still have a reserve of Rs. 30 crore, which will be used wherever necessary,” he stated. He also highlighted that INTUC has around 3 crore members nationwide, making it one of the strongest worker organizations in India.

“Unity is being obstructed by political differences,” Reddy said, appealing to federation members to rise above party lines and strengthen INTUC as a collective voice of workers. He cautioned that in many companies, one to four separate unions exist, creating scope for management to exploit the situation. “All unions should come to one platform. Only then can we fight effectively for workers’ rights,” he said.

Exploitation of Contract Workers

Reddy strongly raised the issue of contract workers, calling their condition “pathetic.” He noted that companies are increasingly dependent on contract workers while permanent jobs are shrinking. “Management is extracting more work from contract workers but paying them far less than permanent employees. This is outright exploitation,” he said.

He explained that organized workers have secured their rights to some extent, but unorganized and contract workers continue to suffer. “We must fight for their rights and bring them into the organized framework. INTUC is working to regularize contract workers in companies and ensure fair treatment,” he said.

Reddy added that the government has little understanding of the realities of contract workers. “We want to hold talks with managements on this issue. Unless we end internal divisions, we will not succeed,” he warned.

He urged labour leaders to resolve their personal differences and encouraged all workers to subscribe to Indian Worker, INTUC’s publication, to stay informed about national and international developments affecting workers. “The strength of INTUC lies in its workers. Our priority must be to solve their problems,” he concluded.

Nation’s economy in distress, unemployment rising: Congress MP

Katihar MP and Congress leader Tariq Anwar underlined the vital role of workers in nation-building. “Workers are central to the development of the country, but due to the government’s anti-worker policies, their condition remains dismal,” he said.

Anwar observed that India’s economic condition is weak and unemployment is increasing. While workers in the organized sector enjoy some protection, those in the unorganized sector, especially migrant workers from Jharkhand and Bihar, face dire circumstances. “Lakhs of unorganized workers from Jharkhand and Bihar are suffering. I have been continuously raising these issues at the appropriate forums and will continue to fight for their rights,” he said.

He praised INTUC’s efforts in securing workers’ social and economic rights. “INTUC is actively working for fair wages, pensions, insurance, health security, and safe working conditions. It is also committed to industrial peace, preferring dialogue over strikes,” he added.

Anwar lauded Reddy for his commitment to workers’ issues, even at his age. “His passion for raising workers’ issues on international platforms inspires us all to work harder,” he said.

Rajshekhar Mantri, General Secretary of the Visakhapatnam Steel Company Union, highlighted the growing number of contract workers in major companies, including Tata Steel. “The number of permanent workers is steadily decreasing, while contract workers are on the rise. This is a matter of serious concern,” he said.

Pointing towards Tata Workers Union President Sanjiv Chaudhary, he added that union leaders are aware of this reality. “This trend is not limited to Tata Steel but is visible in industries across the country,” he said.

Mantri also spoke about the need to protect domestic industries. “To safeguard the existence of Indian companies, we must control imports and exports. Otherwise, Indian goods will continue to face competition from foreign products, especially from countries like China and Japan,” he warned.

Large Gathering of Union Leaders

The meeting witnessed the participation of several senior union leaders and dignitaries. Among them were Katihar MP Tariq Anwar, INTUC General Secretary Sanjay Singh, Tata Workers Union President Sanjiv Chaudhary, TWU General Secretary Satish Singh, Vice President S. Alam, Assistant Secretary Nitesh Raj, INTUC State President Rakeshwar Pandey, Federation General Secretary Raghunath Pandey, Tata Motors Workers Union General Secretary R.K. Singh, and JCAPCPL Union President R. Ravi Prasad.

Also present were leaders Chandra Prakash Singh, Rajshekhar Mantri, Ashutosh Singh, Devika Singh, Shikha Chaudhary, Usha Singh, Qamar Alam, Congress leader Vijay Khan, Shailesh Pandey, and over 200 representatives from across the country.

The Jamshedpur executive meeting reinforced INTUC’s call for unity and highlighted the urgent need to address the plight of contract and unorganized workers. The leaders acknowledged that while organized sector workers have gained protections, a large section of India’s workforce remains vulnerable and exploited.

The discussions also emphasized that political rivalries among union leaders weaken the collective bargaining power of workers. By overcoming internal divisions, INTUC hopes to emerge stronger and act as a united voice for labour rights across industries.