The great storm – Flashback

The Second World War broke out and the prices of essential commodities began shooting up. Mumbai’s textile workers fought 40-day strike battle, demanding ‘dearness allowance’. Drawing inspiration from them ‘Oriental’ employees took the lead in submitting first collective representation for DA in July 1941. But nobody could volunteer to be the first signatory as he was sure to be sacked. They thereafter discovered that in Geometry there is a figure of circle which has no beginning and no end. That was how the representation was made in a circular way. And they won DA of Rs. 3.50 per month.
There was a wave of strikes thereafter. In 1945, there was a strike in ‘Bombay Mutual’, led by Com. P. P. Patil. Next year, the strike in ‘Empire of India’ lasted for over six months. Com. K. S. B. Pillai, courtmarshalled, tortured and sacked in the great Naval Revolt of 1946 joined the general insurance industry and emerged as a great leader of general insurance employees. Com. Madan Mohan, victimised for trade union activities in an insurance company became a lawyer and subsequently, vice-president of All India LIC Employees Federation. In the strike in Hindustan Insurance Company at Kolkata, Com. Chandrasekhar Bose was victimised. The employees demanded his reinstatement. The management asked them, “do you want Chandrasekhar Bose or wage rise?” In one voice they thundered, “we want Chandrasekhar!” That was the spirit of the first generation of insurance employees who fought trade union battles with extra-ordinary courage. They laid down the foundation of the trade union movement in this industry.

July 1941 - ‘Oriental’ employees take the lead in submitting

first collective represent to the management. Win D A of Rs. 3.50

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Com. S. A. Dange addressing a mammoth rally at Sunderabai Hall in Mumbai in the early sixties. Seen on the dias are Coms. J. G. Kothare, P. P. Patil, K. S. B. Pillai and D. P. Chhadda.

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Shri Yashwantrao Chavan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, speaking at another rally in the same period. On the dias are seen Coms. P. P. Patil, N. S. Ghanekar, Barrister Rajni Patel and D. G. Samant

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(Left) Com. N. S. Ghanekar at Yogakshema gate meeting (Right) Barrister Rajni Patel felicitating an old  guard Com. Chitnis.

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Barrister Rajni Patel with Sheikh Mujibur Rehman

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Kolkata witnessed long processions at the formative stage of the Federation

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And this mammoth procession in Mumbai hailed the formation of Federation.

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A section of Delhi LIC employees listening to the speech of Com. Nachane in the early seventies.
Place : Jeevan Prakash Bldg., New Delhi.

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LIC Chairman Shri. A. S. Gupta inauguration blood donation Camp.

He himself and Com. P. P. Patil were prime blood donors.

Five hundred in all donated blood at the Camp.

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500 officers and employees in Mumbai donated blood in the first blood donation camp organised immediately after LIC’s split-up was averted. LIC chairman Mr. A. S. Gupta and Federation’s first General Secretary Com. P. P. Patil were the prime donors. Therafter Federation’s Blood Donation Camps became a regular feature at several centres.

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Com. P. P. Patil attended WFTU conference at Prague held in June 1983.

(Above) visiting a factory producing machinery for Agriculture (Below) The rally at Prague

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Tribal women were in the forefront of the colourful procession leading to
the conference hall - Indore  Conference,  1992

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Actress Ashalata blessing a child in a special programme at Bangalore Youth Festival

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Trivandrum – Union’s Silver Jubilee celebrations

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The Federation general secretary Com. A. V. Nachane addressing a huge rally at Shivaji Park organised by Nagari Niwara Abhiyan. One lakh citizens deposited Rs. ten thousand each in Bank of Maharashtra towards purchase of a piece of land. Maharashtra Chief Minister cheated them by suddenly scrapping Urban Land Ceiling Act, inspite of an Affidavit to High Court to the contrary.

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Enthusiasm evident on the occasion of Jamshedpur conference.

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Com. Varsha Kinhikar, Jt. Secy., ICEU, Nashik felicitating Ms. Durga Deore Also in the photo are
Coms. Pagare, Moghe, Kokate, Marathe, Raju Shintre, Hiraman Waghchaure, Shailesh Dhepe,
Kavita Raut, Vaishali Kardile, Vaishali Kulkarni & Next to Ms. Durga are her mother & Father

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Ms. Durga Deore alongwith her Gold Medal at Commonwealth Games in Delhi

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Key-Note address by Chairman Shri. D. K. Mehrotra at the workshop for
HGAs – AAOs – AOs in Yogakshema – a new experiment

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Mg Director Shri. Sushobhan Sarkar making out a point at the workshop.

At right are seen Com. Rajaram Pardhi, dy general secretary and

Com. Ramesh Bhat, Zonal president

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Com. Gurudas Dasgupta, President (AITUC) addressing the convention
at Mawalankar Hall on 15th July 2010, New Delhi.

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Com. Nachane addressing 40th session of AIITUC in Mumbai.

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