THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CITU's protests against various departments are adversely affecting the hard work of the Pinarayi government for the creation of a new Kerala. The fact that the CITU, the trade union wing of the CPM, is attempting to thwart the government's efforts to make public sector institutions more efficient and government offices more people-friendly has challenged the second Pinarayi government, which is entering its first anniversary.

CITU has locked horns with the managements of essential services such as water, electricity and transport, which directly affect the people. The union, which is protesting against the KSRTC management for denying salaries to employees, is also opposing the stances adopted by the management head of KSEB. Meanwhile, the union has opposed the reorganization move related
to institutional empowerment in the Water Authority.

It is also noteworthy that the CITU has declared war on the departments ruled by the CPM's constituent parties. This has put the Left Front leadership on the defensive. The constituent parties are raising complaints that the Front etiquette is not being followed. The ongoing protests are against the new development vision of the CPM. If the protests intensify, the government's anniversary celebrations will be marred.

At the same time, union leaders are upset that the chief minister is not intervening in trade union struggles. The Chief Minister does not agree with the organizational work that affects the functioning of offices, including the Secretariat. The CM was of the same opinion when the pro-CPM Secretariat Employees Association came out against the earlier intervention with the knowledge of the CM's office.

KSRTC

CITU, which had argued that hiring employees on a contract basis for K-SWIFT company was anti-labour, later withdrew from the protest as a compromise for the company's survival. However, when the salaries of employees were denied, it once came out against Transport Minister Antony Raju, a leader of the Democratic Kerala Congress.

KSEB
The protest, which was started by the Officers' Association against the KSEB Chairman, has now escalated to a dispute between the minister and CITU. Neither the government nor the CPM is intervening in the issue. Although the suspension of Association leaders was withdrawn, the CITU was outraged when Janata Dal-S Minister K Krishnankutty justified the transfer of the leaders.

Water resources

The CITU alleges that the move to reorganize the Water Authority as part of its empowerment is anti-labour. CITU has warned that it will launch a strong protest if the management goes ahead with the action. That would put Roshy Augustine, the minister of the Kerala Congress-M, in further crisis.