No wildcard strikes in IT: Basu
Citu recently formed the state’s first IT sector services association that calls itself the West Bengal IT Services Association.
By TNN |
KOLKATA: Former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu on Friday offered a compromise formula on the issue of forming trade unions in the state IT sector and on IT employees participating in the nationwide general strike on December 14.
Citu recently formed the state’s first IT sector services association that calls itself the West Bengal IT Services Association.
Asked to comment on the issue, Mr Basu told newsmen at the CPIM headquarters : “We cannot force an employee to give up the right to strike or form an association to protect his rights. We always protected the right of the working class.”
“At the same time, we have to find out whether the status of an essential service can be conferred on the IT sector. But this is an important industry and we don’t want wildcat strikes or bandhs in the IT sector which might cripple its growth,” said Mr Basu. He was responding to a query on whether the Citu-promoted services association would include the IT sector in the nationwide strike on December 14.
West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, however, refused to comment on the issue. On Mr Basu’s observations, Mr Bhattacharjee said: “I don’t know what Mr Basu has said, and I will not comment without knowing the exact text of his remarks.”
Mr Basu’s observation came at a time when Citu functionaries are divided over observing the strike in the state IT sector on December 14. A section of Citu functionaries want the IT sector to be included in the purview of the strike as it feels IT is not an essential service.
The fact is the Left Front government hasn’t declared IT as an essential service and no Act has till date been enacted by the state legislature to this effect. In fact, Mr Basu echoed the confusion when he said “we have to find out whether ther IT sector can be given the status of an essential service.”
Citu recently formed the state’s first IT sector services association that calls itself the West Bengal IT Services Association.
Asked to comment on the issue, Mr Basu told newsmen at the CPIM headquarters : “We cannot force an employee to give up the right to strike or form an association to protect his rights. We always protected the right of the working class.”
“At the same time, we have to find out whether the status of an essential service can be conferred on the IT sector. But this is an important industry and we don’t want wildcat strikes or bandhs in the IT sector which might cripple its growth,” said Mr Basu. He was responding to a query on whether the Citu-promoted services association would include the IT sector in the nationwide strike on December 14.
West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, however, refused to comment on the issue. On Mr Basu’s observations, Mr Bhattacharjee said: “I don’t know what Mr Basu has said, and I will not comment without knowing the exact text of his remarks.”
Mr Basu’s observation came at a time when Citu functionaries are divided over observing the strike in the state IT sector on December 14. A section of Citu functionaries want the IT sector to be included in the purview of the strike as it feels IT is not an essential service.
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The fact is the Left Front government hasn’t declared IT as an essential service and no Act has till date been enacted by the state legislature to this effect. In fact, Mr Basu echoed the confusion when he said “we have to find out whether ther IT sector can be given the status of an essential service.”
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