Bokaro Steel City, Jharkhand — The industrial heart of Jharkhand, Bokaro Steel City, is currently the epicenter of a significant gathering for India's steel workers. The 15th Biennial Conference of the Ispat Mazdoor Morcha (CITU) is underway, bringing together thousands of workers, union leaders, and delegates from across the nation to address what many describe as a pivotal moment for the public sector steel industry and its workforce.
The three-day conference, held at the newly named Comrade Basudeb Acharya Nagar and Comrade C.S. Tiwari Manch, opened with a stark and unvarnished assessment of the challenges facing the sector. Comrade B.D. Prasad, in his presentation of the draft report, laid out the core anxieties: a relentless push for privatization of public sector undertakings (PSUs), the escalating trend of contractualization of labor, profound job insecurity, and a frustrating stagnation in long-overdue wage negotiations.
"The very foundation of our existence is being shaken," Comrade Prasad told a hushed audience. "For decades, steel workers have been the backbone of this nation's industrial progress. Yet today, the security, dignity, and rights we have fought so hard to secure are being systematically eroded by policies that prioritize corporate profit over the well-being of the working class."
A Shift in the Economic Landscape
The conference's focus on these issues reflects a broader national trend. The government's strategic disinvestment policy has put major PSUs, including those in the steel sector, on the market. This has been a source of deep anxiety for employees who fear that privatization will lead to job cuts, erosion of benefits, and the end of social security provisions they have long enjoyed.
Delegates at the conference articulated these fears, sharing personal stories of how the increasing reliance on contractual labor has created a two-tiered system within the plant. Permanent employees, who enjoy comprehensive benefits and job security, work alongside contractual workers who often perform the same strenuous tasks for a fraction of the pay, without access to pensions, healthcare, or other essential protections. This has led to a growing schism and a sense of shared vulnerability.
"The management is exploiting this system to drive down costs," said a delegate from a steel plant in Odisha, who requested anonymity to speak freely. "They are creating a permanent state of precariousness, and it’s a strategy that weakens the entire workforce."
Honoring the Legacy, Forging the Future
The naming of the conference venue after two iconic figures of the workers’ movement, Comrade Basudeb Acharya and Comrade C.S. Tiwari, was not merely a symbolic gesture. It served as a powerful reminder of the historical struggles that built the workers’ movement in the region. Their legacy of militant unionism and united struggle against anti-worker policies has become a guiding principle for the delegates seeking to chart a path forward.
Over the coming days, the conference floor is expected to be a space for intense debate and deliberation. Delegates will break into groups to discuss specific resolutions, which will cover a range of demands from a swift resolution to wage and pension agreements to a complete halt on the privatization of the steel sector. The resolutions will form the basis of a renewed "charter of demands" to be presented to both management and the government.
Key leaders from the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and affiliated federations are in attendance to provide guidance and rally support. Their presence underscores the importance of this conference not just for the Ispat Mazdoor Morcha but for the wider trade union movement in India. Representatives from other industries, including those in mining and engineering, are also expected to participate, transforming the conference into a platform for broader working-class solidarity against common threats.
Voices from the Shop Floor
For the workers on the ground, the conference represents a glimmer of hope. Many expressed their determination to stand together against what they perceive as a corporate-driven onslaught on their rights.
"This is not just about our jobs; it's about our lives and the future of our children," said a young worker from the Bokaro Steel Plant, who has seen many of his peers hired on precarious contracts. "We have to show them that we will not back down. We are ready to fight to protect what our elders won for us."
The sentiment of collective resistance is strong. Attendees believe that unity is the only way to safeguard their hard-won rights. They anticipate that the resolutions passed will not just be mere statements but a blueprint for intensified struggles, including mass mobilizations and protests, in the months to come.
The conference is set to conclude with a powerful mass rally, a public display of the workers' determination to carry forward their fight for justice, equality, and dignity at the workplace. For the Ispat Mazdoor Morcha, the event is not just a meeting; it is a declaration of intent—a promise to defend the public sector and the rights of every worker who toils within it.
