Agartala, October 3: Strong international unity among workers is needed to fight exploitation and secure the rights of working people, said trade union leader Shankar Prasad Dutta at a meeting organised here on Friday to mark the 82nd foundation day of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).
The meeting was organised at the state headquarters of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). Former minister Manik Dey, Dutta and several trade union leaders and representatives of workers’ organisations attended the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Dutta said workers had made a significant contribution to the development of society and had fought for their rights against employers and managements in different countries.
He said the problems faced by working people had an international dimension and could not be addressed through struggles confined to individual countries. Workers across the world, he said, needed to come together in a coordinated fight against exploitation.
Dutta called for wider participation in workers’ movements and said rights could not be secured through appeals and representations alone. He stressed the need to build collective resistance against exploitation with the participation of broader sections of society.
Referring to the WFTU’s foundation day, Dutta said the occasion was being observed by calling for greater coordination among workers’ struggles. He stressed the importance of international solidarity and organised action to address issues affecting workers in different countries.
He also spoke about developments in science and technology and their impact on society. Dutta said scientific and technological progress should be directed towards improving people’s lives and meeting social needs rather than serving the interests of those who control wealth and resources.
He pointed to the advances made in science over the past century and more and said the pace of technological change had increased significantly in the 21st century. The benefits of such progress, he said, should be accessible to ordinary people.
The meeting also discussed workers’ rights, trade union solidarity, resistance to exploitation and the wider social use of science and technology. Leaders at the programme called for greater unity and participation in workers’ movements at the national and international levels.
