India

The All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF), has been engaged in a fierce battle with the Central Government for more than nine months over pay and working conditions in public facilities. The basic demand is for a better entry-level pay-scale, which is due for correction since the Fifth Central Pay Commission (CPC) of 1996.

More than 80 participants representing trade unions, farming communities, indigenous peoples, health networks, women’s organisations, academia and civil society organizations met on 27-28 July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to take stock of the new generation of mega regional FTAs emerging in the region.

On the 26th of February, more than 12,000 nurses under the banner of the All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF) were off-duty to protest against “retrograde recommendations” of the 7th Central Pay Commission. In case the government remains deaf to their demands, an indefinite strike will start from the 15th of March on.

In the absence of successful negotiations with the government on their list of demands, Indian trade unions are organising a series of actions, culminating in an indefinite strike from 11th July.

The website of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has no mention of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on which officials from 16 countries, including India, met for a round of secret trade talks in Brunei from 15-19 February. This mega Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to be concluded by the end of 2016.

Workers from PSI affiliate Tamilnadu Government Officials Union (TGOU) put together a list of 35 demands to the government; the hunger strike took place in Chennai on the 8th of February.

Gaurav Dwivedi, a water expert from Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, has prepared an overview of water sector reforms in India. Manthan Adhyayan Kendra is a centre set up to research, analyse and monitor water and energy issues from the perspective of just, equitable and sustainable development.