Read this article in:
23 October, 2000The impact of the liberalising economy was a main topic for debate at the SMEWFI convention.
INDIA: As with so many other trade union congresses which have taken place in the last few years, one of the major issues dealt with at the Biennial Convention of the Steel, Metal & Engineering Workers' Federation of India was globalisation.
Liberalisation and the privatisation of the huge state-controlled sectors are having an impact on the entire economic system of the country, the negative aspects of which are being borne by the workers and their families. Many people have lost permanent jobs in state-owned industries, and have had to accept a big drop in pay for work in the so-called informal sector. Increasing numbers of workers are finding jobs with subcontractor companies or have become self-employed. Following strong criticism by the trade unions of legislation governing contract labour, the minister of labour is consulting the trade unions with the aim to make necessary amendments.
Already, India's economic growth is strong, markets have opened considerably and the impact of this expanding economy will be great in Asia and worldwide in the long term.
The conference, which took place in Mumbai on October 17-18, re-elected Shanti Patel as president of the union and R.K. Samantrai as general secretary. SMEWFI is affiliated at international level to the 23-million-strong International Metalworkers' Federation.
Liberalisation and the privatisation of the huge state-controlled sectors are having an impact on the entire economic system of the country, the negative aspects of which are being borne by the workers and their families. Many people have lost permanent jobs in state-owned industries, and have had to accept a big drop in pay for work in the so-called informal sector. Increasing numbers of workers are finding jobs with subcontractor companies or have become self-employed. Following strong criticism by the trade unions of legislation governing contract labour, the minister of labour is consulting the trade unions with the aim to make necessary amendments.
Already, India's economic growth is strong, markets have opened considerably and the impact of this expanding economy will be great in Asia and worldwide in the long term.
The conference, which took place in Mumbai on October 17-18, re-elected Shanti Patel as president of the union and R.K. Samantrai as general secretary. SMEWFI is affiliated at international level to the 23-million-strong International Metalworkers' Federation.