Dear friends,

In the last meeting of the NCC-USW held at ISI on 6th August 2003, we discussed the strategy we should adopt in case The Unorganized Sector Workers Bill - 2003 was placed in the monsoon session of Parliament.

The 6th August meeting was presided over by Shri Surendra Mohan, Central Trade Union leaders like Shri P.K. Ganguli - CITU, Shri S.N. Thakur - AITUC, and Shri R.A. Mittal - HMS participated. Besides these, there were over 20 participants form FORCES, Mobile Crèches, Nirman Mazdoor Panchyat Sangam (and other organizations from Delhi) and, Geetha R.-NMPS, Tamil Nadu, Bikas Das - Orissa FORCES and Com. A.K. Roy- former M.P.- Dhanbad Kamgar Union.

Shri T. S. Sankaran, former Additional Secretary of Ministry of Labour, briefed the meeting about the background of the Unorganized Sector Bill - 2003. He explained the historic background to this Bill, viz., the recommendations of the 2nd National Labour Commission, the Bill prepared by the Study Group on Umbrella Legislation for the Workers in the Unorganized Sector, Protection of Right of Workers in the Unorganized Sector - 2001, the National Seminar on Unorganized Sector Labour, Social Protection, Skill Development and Legislation organized by Ministry of Labour in November 2002, the recommendations of the Technical Group set up by this Seminar etc. and the different versions of the 2003 Bill in circulation.

The August 6th meeting also discussed the various amendments to the draft Bill proposed by Central Trade Unions and SEWA.

Com P. K. Ganguli of CITU, Com. S. N. Thakur of AITUC, Com. R. A. Mittal of HMS, Com. Geetha - Joint Action Committee of Unorganized Sector - Tamil Nadu, Shri Surender Moham and Com. A. K. Roy clearly felt that as the main recommendations and suggestions were not incorporated in the 2003 Bill, we should jointly resist it and arrive at a larger consensus of the various people working with the unorganized sector around the real requirements of the unorganized sector workers. Shri T. S. Sankaran was requested to draft a working paper on the basis of the comments and suggestions expressed by the participants on the Unorganized Sector Bill - 2003 in the August 6th meeting.

Most of the people working with the unorganized sector workers will need to explain the Bill 2003, its implications etc to the workers in Hindi and other regional languages. After obtaining the consent of various Central Trade Union leaders who participated in the 6th August 2003 meeting and also of others, NCC-USW and Indian Social Institute decided to organize a seminar on 27th September 2003 at Indian Social Institute. This joint effort will continue to provide other documents in Hindi and if required in other regional language also. Indian Social Institute offered its help in getting the 2003 Bill and the working paper of Shri T. S. Sankaran translated and presented in Hindi besides organizing the Delhi level meeting jointly.

This seminar is being fixed on the day following the National Convention of the Trade Unions on Right to Strike on the Supreme Court Judgement in the Tamil Nadu Case (26th September 2003) so that the participants from the unorganized sector workers organizations in that convention can also participate in this Seminar on the Unorganized Sector Bill - 2003 on 27th September 2003

You can extend this invitation to other organizations working with unorganized sector workers in your region. Please remember to send us the full name and address of other organization and individuals to whom you are extending this invitation.

We are looking forward for your suggestions and for new contacts of individuals and organizations working with the unorganized sector workers. We also hope that your organization will participate in the formation of the State Level Committee of the National Campaign Committee of Unorganized Sector Workers. We appreciate deeply the support and cooperation of all the constituents of NCC-CL and the unions of other Unorganized Sector Workers and look forward for your support and participation.

With thanks

Prakash Louis Subhash Bhatnagar
Indian Social Institute Coordinator- NCC-USW