Predumn Krishan Raina
THE 7th State Conference of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Jammu & Kashmir, was held on November 22, 2025, in Srinagar. The conference deliberated upon various issues and problems confronting the working class, with the resolve to intensify the struggles to fight anti-working class and anti-people polices of the government.
The conference started with the flag hoisting ceremony by M Y Tarigami, president J&K CITU amid revolutionary slogans raised by hundreds of workers with red flags in their hands at Tagore Hall, Srinagar. Floral tributes were offered in memory of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the rights of working people and peasantry. Comrade Jagdesh Sharma, General Secretary, J&K CITU gave the welcome address. A condolence resolution was presented by Muzaffar Ahmad in memory of comrades Sitaram Yechury, Vasudev Acharaya, Kanai Banerjee, Maharani Konar, Raj Kumar, and M S Swaminathan, and also on brutal killings of Palestinians by Israel, and killings of innocent people in bomb blasts at Red Fort, Delhi, and Nowgam, Srinagar.
In his inaugural address, Comrade Dr. Kashmir Singh, National Secretary of CITU, said that the working class, peasantry and democratic forces are under severe assault since the Modi-led government came to power at the Centre in 2014. He said, “The hard-earned rights of workers implementable vide 44 labour laws that guaranteed trade union rights, social security cover, fixed work hours, job security etc. are being snatched by scrapping 12 laws and converting 29 laws into four Labour Codes. These changes curtail the rights of working people.” He added that the only way to resist these “anti-working-class measures” is to unite and launch persistent struggles. He cautioned the working people to be vigilant against the communal and divisive machinations of the Modi government and exhorted for building a larger unity of Dalits, OBCs, minorities and working class to face this gigantic challenge forcefully. In place of regular services, the government has started new recruitments of apprentices, trainees, contractual workers, etc., and now bijli mitr, pani mitr, on a meagre sum of Rs.5000 per month which is sheer exploitation of the human labour, he said. The decisions of Indian Labour Conference 2013 regarding regularisation of scheme workers should be implemented in letter and spirt.
Addressing the open session, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, president CITU, J&K, said the deteriorating condition of workers worldwide is evident from demonstrations in the United States, the United Kingdom and several European countries, and India is no exception. The condition of working people in the country and in Jammu and Kashmir has reached an alarming point. The workers in unorganised sector in J&K are in deep distress, with no provision for minimum wages, pension or social security cover. “Their lives remain insecure,” he said.
Criticising the prolonged delay in regularisation of daily wagers, casual labourers, seasonal, temporary and contractual workers in government departments, he said, “the delay has made their lives painful. Year after year they are made to wait without stability.”
The honorarium of anganwadi workers and helpers has not been increased and ASHA workers continue to work with inadequate incentives. “Mid-day meal cooks are paid only Rs 1000 per month. This is unacceptable and they must be brought under proper social security,” he said. The NHM employees who have been serving the people in far flung areas with dedication are facing huge problems in regard to their regularisation and other genuine issues. The minimum wages provided in the Union Territories of Delhi, Puducherry and Ladakh should also be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir too.
Referring to the rising economic burden on households, he said, “The increasing prices of essential commodities have broken the back of marginalised families as well as the middle class.” Unemployment among educated youth has reached an alarming level across the country and particularly in Jammu and Kashmir where highly qualified people including PhDs., technocrats, doctors etc. are getting overaged by each passing day. “No concrete steps are being taken to fill vacancies in central government services despite lakhs of posts lying vacant” he said. The registration of construction workers should be simplified and the consequential benefits as per J&KBOCWWB need to be provided on time in cases of deaths, marriages of their wards, educational scholarships, etc. and red-tapism prevalent at various levels should be stopped forthwith. He reiterated that the four Labour Codes must be repealed, calling them “anti-labour and pro-corporate in every aspect”, adding that they dilute hard-earned workers’ rights.
Tarigami pointed out that that Jammu and Kashmir, despite being a resource-rich region that generates surplus electricity through hydro-power projects, is facing one of the worst power crises in decades. He said the administration’s tall claims have fallen flat as people struggle through harsh winters. He condemned the recent proposal of the department to hike electricity tariff by 20 per cent. Highlighting the problems of transport sector, Srinagar municipal workers, tourism sector, Kalakote mine workers, BRO workers, horticulture employees, he urged the authorities to address their issues. The plight of traders and marketers of Srinagar was also highlighted in the conference.
Expressing deep grief over the brutal and innocent killings of Palestinians by Israel, he said that there is still a ray of hope as thousands of people including intellectuals and working-class people across the globe, especially in USA and European countries, have protested against these inhuman acts and cruelties.
The conference resolved to intensify struggles for workers’ rights and urged the government to address rising inequalities and economic distress. Besides, resolutions on payment of minimum wages on the pattern of other Union Territories, repealing of four Labour Codes, trade union rights, regularisation of DRWs, C/L and other type of workers, atrocities on Palestinians, price rise, unemployment etc. were moved and adopted unanimously in the conference.
A 41-member State Committee with M Y Tarigami as State President, Om Prakash as Working President and Jagdesh Sharma as General Secretary was unanimously elected by the conference.
