In All-India General Strike, Workers Go All Out Against Neoliberalism

[xchrom]

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/12813/in_general_strike_indias_workers_challenge_the_grip_of_neoliberalism/


Trade union activists participate in a rally to show support for the All India General Strike, in Siliguri on February 27, 2012. (Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images)

India’s economic ascent seems like it should be the envy of the world’s richest nations; with rocketing growth rates and gargantuan consumer and labor markets, India's destiny as Asia's next superstar looks beyond a doubt. Except Indian workers just gave the boosters of global capitalism a few million second thoughts.

The all-India general strike of February 28 brought together workers of various sectors and political stripes, civil servants along with rickshaw drivers, united under a banner of opposition to neoliberal policies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government. The labor movement of the world’s largest democracy issued a stark challenge to the idea of deregulation as an economic cure.

AFP quoted All India Trade Union Congress general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta: “We are fighting for our rights against a government that is anti-people.”

The core grievances center around government corruption, rising costs of living, labor violations, privatization, and the general rush to hand the economy over to the talons of free enterprise and shred the welfare state.

[tk2kewl]

1. K&R

[socialist_n_TN]

2. Solidarity!..........

Workers of the world unite!

[Saving Hawaii]

3. We've gotta stop using the color red...

[socialist_n_TN]

4. Sorry, but red (especially worldwide) is a classic worker's color........

It's only in this country is it used for the anti-workers party. Just call it "Classic Red" as opposed to Republican red when referring to the USA.

[Mr.Liberty]

5. Good! Neoliberal policies have brought down

many countries around the world. Some have withstood the storm much better than others though. India is one of them, but it could turn for the worse at any moment.

[TBF]

6. Solidarity. nt