In Delhi, workers observed May Day with protest marches and mass meetings at Patparganj industrial area, Kondli, Mandavali, Jaitpur, Wazirpur and Bhorgarh industrial area (Narela). DTC workers and technicians held gate meetings at Central Workshop (2nd). At Noida one hundred rickshaw pullers held a rally with their cycle rickshaws well decorated with red flags.
In Tamilnadu, a week-long padayatra culminated in a mass meeting at Chennai.
In Karnataka, the main May Day event was held near Electronic City, Bangalore, announcing the entry of the union in yet another centre of global capital within Bangalore. Covering a stretch of more than 50 km between Bangalore and Hosur (Tamil Nadu), this is one of the longest and biggest industrial belts in the country. The rally started from Hebbagudi Bus stand, marched through workers’ residential localities like Gollahalli and Veerasandra and culminated in a massive public meeting in front of the RMC Readymix (India) company in which AICCTU union is functioning. One batch of workers hoisted flags in their respective plants located at two different corners of Bangalore, assembled at Whitefield and marched in motorbikes, cars and vans to reach the rally spot near Electronic City. Another batch of workers reached the spot by van from Mysore Road plant, yet another corner of Bangalore. The motorcade from Whitefield to Electronic City covered more than 25 KM and was very colourful and attractive.
Hundreds of workers marched through the streets raising slogans against price rise, state repression, proposed labour reforms and increased offensive against the working class. They demanded a monthly minimum wage of Rs.11000, social security to all unorganized workers and security for migrant workers. The demand for food for all, jobs for all, rights and dignity to workers and toiling peasants - reverberated all through the march.
In Orissa, 100 members of different workers’ unions participated in a flag hoisting and day-long programme organised by the AICCTU at the Nagbhushan Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, and events were also held at Rourkela, Gunupur, Rajkanika, Bhadrak and Puri.
In UP, construction workers affiliated to AICCTU held a rally at Lucknow; AIALA held meetings at Bhadaura and Jakhania in Gazipur districts; and events were held in Allahabad, Kanpur and Faizabad-Ayodhya.
It Chhattisgarh, 1000 workers from Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund and other districts participated in the ten kilometer long May Day rally starting from Bilaspur railway station to the DM’s office. The rally was organised by Chhatisgarh Mukti Morcha and AICCTU. A rally comprising 350 workers was held in Bhilai demanding restitution of the sanitation workers who were sacked just for demanding payment of minimum wages. May Day was observed in rock mines at Mura in Raipur and Jagdalpur in Bastar where 150 workers participated.
Meetings of workers took place at Gwalior and Bhind in MP. At Vilad in Valsad District of Gujarat, workers from the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation observed May Day. Programmes were held at Mansa, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Sangrur and Moga in Punjab. May Day was also observed by AICCTU in independent and joint programmes at Puducherry, Andaman, Karnataka, and Andaman.
In Assam, 2000 workers, mostly tea workers held a procession at Borgong in Sonitpur district organised by the Asom Sangrami Chah Shramik Sangha (ASCSS). At Tinsukia too, the joint organisation committee headed by AICCTU mobilized more than 2000 workers; the highlight of the programme was 200 ASHA workers in their uniforms and specially prepared umbrellas and carrying hundreds of placards and red flags that made the rally very colourful. Many cultural performances were part of the entire procession. The ASCSS and Sadou Asom Gramin Shramik Santha (SAGSS) jointly organised May Day in Jorhat. Events were also held at Nagaon, Maijan, Tingkhong in Dibrugarh and also at Myang and Bonda. Workers from United Workmen’s Union (affiliated to AICCTU) held a May Day meeting at the gates of Guwahati Refinery.
In West Bengal, programmes were held at jute mills, among tea plantation workers and tram workers in Kolkata.
In Patna, the red flag was hoisted at a meeting at the AICCTU office and AICCTU participated in a march along with other Left Trade Unions. At Gaya, a motorcycle march was held; at Purnea motor mechanics held a procession; building workers and employees held a 500-strong procession at Bhagalpur. May Day events were also held at other centres including Darbhanga.
In Jharkhand May Day was marked by coal workers hoisting flags at all ECL collieries; a motorcycle rally at East Jharia; a prabhat pheri in the morning and a mass meeting with other unions in the evening at Bokaro Steel City; meetings and processions at factories in the Bermo and Ramgarh industrial areas; a procession of 1000 unorganised workers at Bagodar; programmes at Jamshedpur and Chakradharpur and a procession at Ranchi.