The labour movement in India is still under the control of bureaucratic leaders and political groups. However, as shown by a strike last year, among the workers of the country is gradually spreading the idea of self-organization and sovereign general assembly.

Up to 100 million workers were involved in a one-day strike in India on February 28. Strike, which affected a number of branches across the country, has been named one of the biggest strikes ever taken place in the world. It was announced 11 trade union centres (they first worked together since the declaration of independence) and 5000 smaller unions. requirements included the introduction of the national guaranteed minimum wage, providing permanent jobs for 50 million workers on temporary contracts, the adoption of governmental measures to combat inflation in excess of 9% for most of the time in the last 2 years), the provision of social security benefits, including pensions for all workers, strict enforcement of laws on labour, the cessation of sale of shares in state enterprises. The fact that millions of workers were willing to take part in the strike, shows that, despite all the talk about "boom" the Indian economy, the working class of India, it does not feel.

However, all the demands made by trade unions, based on the assumption that the capitalist government of India is able to meet the needs of other classes. There is also a mistaken idea about what you can to contain inflation, or that stop the sale of the public sector in any way benefit the working class. But the bourgeoisie has its own reasons to worry. For example, the information technology sector and industry centres, order processing in India is 70% dependent on U.S. companies. The industry was hit hard by the economic crisis. It is no longer an area of growth and a source of huge profits, and is experiencing decline in wages and job cuts. The same is true in many other industries. India's economy cannot remain aloof from the world economy and its crisis.

In this situation, all the trade unions act together, but they failed to reverse the mobilization of protest against government action. Since 1991 the country held 14 general strikes. However, recently we have seen many examples where the workers acted on their own initiative, without waiting for directives from the trade unions.

For example. Between June and October 2011 thousands of workers took over the business. "Wild" strikes and protest camps in the company Maruti-Suzuki in Manesar, going through a "boom" town near New Delhi. After the union signed an agreement in early October 1200 contract workers were not reinstated, and about 3500 workers resumed their strike and took over the factory to assemble cars in solidarity. This led to a series of sit-ins, and the creation of general meetings, to avoid sabotage by the trade unions.

The new discovery of general meetings of workers as the most appropriate form to ensure the widest possible participation of workers and exchanging ideas - a huge progress in the class struggle. General Meeting of Maruti-Suzuki in Manesar are open to all and promoted the participation of all in determining the orientations and objectives of the fight. They did not involve millions of workers, but showed that the working class of India, of course, is in line with current international development of the class struggle. "

Reproduced via - http://avtonom.org/news/indiya-rabochee-soprotivlenie-narastaet