The Engineering Workers' Movement in West Bengal : Trade Union Publication Series No. 7

Abstract

Engineering workers in West Bengal (about 155,000 primarily in British firms) have always taken part in major political and active struggles. As these protests were so strong, an industry wide-tribunal (the first of its type) was set-up in 1948. Employers, with government support, sort to break the engineering unions from the AITUC, and in their place push workers to the HMS and INTUC, leaders and workers were arrested, and union activists were harassed and arrested, followed by wide-scale retrenchment, despite the workload continuing. The following subchapters are included: AITUC unions revive; Rally for wages begins; Against unemployment; Fight for bonus 1953; 30th September Strike; Works Committees change; Move for a united charter; Trade union rights; Charter of demands.