Delhi: Amid Anganwadi Strike Under Different Banners, DAWHU Calls for United Fight to ‘Save ICDS’

New Delhi: Since the beginning of this month, the national capital has been witnessing a strike by thousands of anganwadi workers and helpers demanding release of wages, wage hikes, employee status among 17 demands. However, the strike is being held under separate banners, as there are different unions.

On Wednesday, the Delhi Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DAWHU), affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) as well as All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH, in a statement called for a united fight to ‘Save ICDS) ( Integrated Chid Development Scheme) under which the angawadis are run.

However, DAWHU has cautioned striking workers on some reports in the media of trying to drive a wedge in their unity, as these reports have quoted some leaders of another union -- DSAWHU – making critical statements about fellow unions.

“It has come into our notice that some local and national media, in their reports on the ongoing strike of anganwadi workers and helpers in Delhi quoted a few spokespersons of ‘Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union’ (affiliated to Mazdoor Bigul Dasta ) which is also on strike, terming our union and CITU as ‘pro government’ . It is also reported that this union has boycotted the discussion with the government because our union which is also on strike was called for discussions”, read a DAWHU statement, calling upon the striking workers to be wary of any “mudslinging” aimed at disrupting worker unity.

Read the full statement below;

Stop the mudslinging; Fight unitedly for the cause of anganwadi workers and helpers; Against the disastrous policies of state and central governments to Save ICDS

Delhi Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union is a registered the trade union of anganwadi workers and helpers in Delhi working among them. The union is affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) as well as All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH). The union is on strike since 5 February 2022 on 17 point charter of demands.  

In Delhi, majority of anganwadi workers and helpers are on strike under separate banners. 

After a protest demonstration held on 11 February 2022 at Delhi secretariat, the government has called the union for negotiations on our demands, which was held on 21 February 2022. A five member delegation of our union held discussions with the WCD Minister, Secretary and Director ICDS of the Delhi government on our demands which include immediate release of the increase in wages declared by the central government in 2018 and withheld by the state government with arrears, minimum wages and social security including pension pending the regualrisation as government employees. The Minister in principle agreed to the demands but refused to give any written assurance. The union decided to continue the strike.

It has come into our notice that some local and national media, in their reports on the ongoing strike of anganwadi workers and helpers in Delhi quoted a few spokespersons of ‘Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union’ (affiliated to Mazdoor Bigul Dasta ) which is also on strike, terming our union and CITU as ‘pro government’ . It is also reported that this union has boycotted the discussion with the government because our union which is also on strike was called for discussions. It has also come into our notice that a few leaders of Mazdoor Bigul Dasta are continuously unleashing false propaganda against our union and CITU in the social media. A few of them are using filthy language, personally attacking our leaders and activists.

Delhi Anganwadi Workers and Helpers union (CITU) has been fighting for the just demands of anganwadi workers and helpers in Delhi since 2002. Our union has led many struggles in Delhi during this period and had many achievements including increase in wages and stopping the handing over of anganwadi centres to NGOs. We have led many struggles against the Kejriwal government since 2014. In early 2015, AAP government had lathicharged our demonstration near ITO and a few of our workers got injured by teargas shells in that struggle.

Our union was also on strike in 2015 when a spontaneous struggle of anganwadi workers and helpers took place in Delhi. It was our union who fought the dangerous clause of ‘pro rata basis’ for the remuneration declared by the government in 2015 and got it withdrawn. In 2017 also our union was on strike along with the majority of anganwadi workers in Delhi, but was never called for any discussions by the government.  AAP government in Delhi was never ready to speak to any trade union.

It was at the initiative of CITU that the Joint trade union movement in Delhi fought the AAP government and made it talk to the unions, prepare norms for the minimum wages and increase it. The joint trade union platform in Delhi organized a successful statewide general strike in Delhi on 25 November 2021, which forced the state government to restart negotiations with the trade unions.

It is CITU and AIFWH which is leading the struggles of the anganwadi workers and helpers at national level and in most of the states in the country which has led to the historical recommendations of the 45th Indian Labour conference on Scheme Workers. It was at the initiative of CITU that the joint platforms of anganwadi workers as well as that of scheme workers’ trade unions have been formed at national level which had conducted two all india strikes of scheme workers during the pandemic bringing their issues into national and international debate.

Even today, more than forty thousand anganwadi workers and helpers in Haryana are on indefinite strike since 8 December 2022 braving repression, under the banner of joint coordination committee lead by CITU and other unions. More than 100 workers have been terminated and around 400 false cases have been charged against them. Anganwadi workers and helpers under the leadership of CITU unions are on struggles/strike in HP, Gujarat, AP, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Bihar at present.

Anganwadi workers’ movement under AIFAWH and CITU could achieve grade pay in Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu, annual increase in Haryana and Punjab,  Pension in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, ex gratia in TN, Kerala, Punjab, WB, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra etc. to name a few achievements.

Every increase at the national level was the result of innumerable struggles both independent and joint, led by the CITU and AIFAWH.

At present when the Modi government is resorting to overall attack on the rights working people and handing over the wealth of the nation to the corporates; privatizatising the basic services schemes including ICDS; making drastic cuts in budget allocation for ICDS and food subsidy under Right to Food Act, the need of the hour is the wider unity of the working people in general and the working class in particular. The trade union movement of the country with the active support of the kisan organizations, is gearing up for the biggest ever general strike on 28-29 March 2022. The working people will isolate those who try to disrupt the unity of the working class by resorting to filthy mudslinging.

We call upon the anganwadi workers and helpers of Delhi to unitedly continue the fight against both the state and central governments, keeping the interest of the workers above the short term political gains of few individuals. We are sure that the anganwadi workers and helpers will recognize the true colours of these individuals who do not believe in working class unity.

Issued by

 *Kamala* 

General Secretary

Delhi Aganwadi workers & Helpers union