"Hum Hain Iske Malik, Hindustan Hamara" — Thousands of Workers to Unite at AICCTU Conference to Reclaim Rights, Resist Exploitation, and Fight for Dignity

New Delhi- In a historic gathering, workers from all sectors—sanitation workers, scheme workers, construction labourers, domestic workers, mine workers, street vendors, and more—are coming together under one umbrella at the 11th National Conference of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU).

Held at Delhi’s Talkatora Stadium from February 24 to 26, this conference is set to be one of the largest workers’ assemblies in a decade, with thousands uniting to raise their voices against corporate exploitation, anti-worker policies, and the erosion of labour rights.

Under the powerful slogan “Hum Hain Iske Malik, Hindustan Hamara” (We are its owners, India is ours), the conference is a bold assertion of workers’ rights to dignity, fair wages, job security, and social justice. Workers from across the country are standing together to resist the Modi government’s pro-corporate agenda, which has prioritized private profits over the welfare of the working class.

The Open Session on February 24 features prominent voices like Rajaram Singh (AIKM and CPIML MP, Karakat), Wakeel Hasan (Silkyara Tunnel Rescue Miner), Comrade Dipankar (General Secretary, CPIML Liberation), Bezwada Wilson (Safai Karamchari Andolan), and Atul Sood (Economist), among others. Representatives from central trade unions and workers’ federations are also joining the assembly, making it a platform for diverse voices to unite against common challenges.

Sectors Represented at the Conference

Workers from various sectors are participating in the conference, including:

• Scheme Workers: Fighting for recognition as workers and demanding job security, wage security, and social security.

• Sanitation Workers: Battling against the exploitative contract labour system and casteist practices, demanding regularization and fair working conditions.

• Industrial Workers: Resisting the suppression of union rights and the rise of contractualization.

• Railway Employees: Opposing privatization, contractualization, and the dilution of pension rights.

• Construction Workers: Demanding dignified wages and social security in an industry rife with exploitation.

• Gig Workers: Seeking recognition as workers and fighting against precarious employment conditions.

• Domestic Workers: Struggling against feudal, casteist, and patriarchal oppression, demanding full legal rights.

• Mine Workers: Exposing inhuman working conditions and the denial of fundamental labour rights.

• Street Vendors: Resisting displacement, police harassment, and fighting for secure spaces to earn their livelihood.

Key Issues for Discussion at the Conference

• Reclaiming Workers’ Rights:
  The conference underscores the urgent need to reclaim hard-earned labour rights, which are under severe attack from the Modi government’s anti-worker policies. Decades of struggle for fair wages, job security, and social security benefits are being dismantled through the imposition of regressive labour codes and the promotion of contractualization.

• Resisting Corporate Exploitation:
  Workers are rallying against the growing influence of corporate interests, which prioritize profit over workers' welfare. The conference highlights the exploitative practices of contractualization, privatization, and the denial of basic rights, particularly in sectors like sanitation, railways, and construction.

• Scrapping Anti-Worker Labour Codes and Criminal Laws:
  The new labour codes, which threaten to strip workers of their basic protections, and the harsh measures introduced by the new criminal laws, which can be used to suppress worker movements, are being vehemently opposed. The working class is united in its demand to repeal these regressive laws.

• Fighting for Dignity and Social Security:
  Workers are demanding dignified wages, the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), and an end to precarious employment conditions. The struggle for secure, permanent jobs and living wages is central to ensuring economic justice and security for lakhs of workers.

• Uniting Against Divisive Politics:
  The conference is also a platform to unite against the hate-filled policies of the Modi regime, which seek to divide people on religious and communal lines. The working class is standing firm in its resolve to remain united and fight for a just and equitable India.

Rajiv Dimri, National General Secretary of AICCTU said, this massive gathering is not just a protest but a collective call to action. Workers are demanding the scrapping of anti-worker labour codes, the repeal of harsh criminal laws, and the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). They are also uniting to resist the divisive politics of the Modi regime, which seeks to fragment the working class along religious and communal lines.

As thousands gather at Talkatora Stadium, the message is clear: the working class will not back down. This is a fight to reclaim India from corporate control, to secure justice and equality, and to ensure that the rights and dignity of every worker are protected.