THE 18th Conference of CITU was held at Visakhapatnam, the Port City of Andhra Pradesh from December 31, 2025 to January 4, 2026. This triennial session, the apex body of CITU, was preceded by the state conferences that elected the 1307 delegates to the all-India Conference from 25 States/UTs and the Centre. Fraternal delegates from AIKS, AIAWU and middle-class organisations attended the Conference. Women delegates were 24 per cent, slightly better than last time, though the target was 28 per cent.

This 18th Conference was held in the background of CITU’s continued movemental initiatives that were based on a three-pronged organisational approach – independent activities and interventions both at national, state and sectoral levels, joint movement with other central trade unions through the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Federations, and joint activities and agitations with the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (AIAWU) in continuation of the initiative already taken in this regard. The target was clear – to expand, enhance the capacity to intervene and heighten the consciousness of the working class. 

During the intervening period, continuous efforts were made to move CITU in the aforesaid direction. And it can be said without exaggeration that our efforts, despite all limitations, could keep the continuous movemental interventions going with a regular frequency on all the three fronts. Besides this, the initiative of coordinated activities with AIKS and AIAWU could create an effective atmosphere and reality in drawing the joint platform of farmers’ organisations, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), in the united struggle along with the Joint platform of Central Trade Unions. This added a qualitatively different dimension to the worker-peasant joint struggles against the anti-people policy regime, which became distinctly visibile on the national plane.

The intervening period witnessed two national calls for countrywide strike given by the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Federations, supported by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. Both the calls were preceded by massive campaigns, agitations, mobilisation programmes including national and state level conventions and mahapadavs. 

Besides, there have been numerous sectoral agitations including strike actions during the last three years, both in the organised industrial sectors and also in various segments of the unorganised sector. The most notable are the electricity employees struggle across the country against privatisation involving the consumers – the common people at large, and against smart metres, the transport workers revolt against the hit and run law, the one-day strike of sales and medical representatives involving more than one lakh field workers connected to this sector, as well as the numerous  struggles and strikes by the scheme workers – Anganwadi, Mid-Day-Meal and ASHA workers, covering almost all the states, with success in most of the cases in at least partially realising their demands.

Equally notable have been the successful multiple days strike struggles by contract workers in different sectors, mostly strategic sectors covering more than 12 states.  Also notable have been the struggles in many big and middle private industrial units, including a good number of MNCs, mostly at the initiative of CITU. Tamilnadu alone reported multiple days strike actions in 15 major MNCs, including the heroic Samsung struggle.

During this intervening period, the CITU was able to expand its membership base most notably in the road transport sector in Kerala and increasing its influence among the most modern manufacturing areas in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana. In 2022, the 17th Conference was held on the basis of the 2021 membership, and that was 63,13,564 from 4971 affiliated unions across the country. The 18th Conference was called on the basis of the 2024 membership of 69,51,885. Thus, during this 2021 to 2024, the period immediately after Corona pandemic lockdown, the CITU has increased its membership by more than six lakhs (6,38,321).

The Conference venue, the Auditorium of Andhra University, was named after Comrade Anathalavattom Anandan, veteran trade union leader from Kerala. The entire premises was named as Comrades Basudeb Acharia and M M Lawrence Manch. On December 31, 2025, the Conference started with flag hoisting by CITU President K Hemalata and was followed by the delegates paying floral tributes at the martyrs’ column. The Conference venue reverberated with revolutionary zeal during the arrival of three martyrs’ torches – Amar Jyotis – taken out by workers from Alluri, Srikakulam and Nellore districts, symbolising the saga of class struggle and sacrifice.

The inaugural session was opened with stirring revolutionary songs performed by cultural troupes of Andhra Pradesh, setting a mighty tone for the deliberations ahead. CITU President K Hemalata chaired the inaugural session and the opening remarks were made by General Secretary Tapan Sen. The Chairman of the Reception Committee, Ch. Narsingarao, welcomed the delegates and guests. He recalled the historic role of Visakhapatnam in the freedom struggle as well as the working class movement. He reminded the audience about the great 1923 Manyam armed tribal rebellion against British rule led by the revolutionary Sri Alluri Sitaramaraju and emphasised that Visakhapatnam, as a major public sector hub housing the Steel Plant, the Port, Hindustan Shipyard, NTPC, and HPCL, remains a frontline of the working-class movement. The condolence resolution was moved by CITU Treasurer M Saibabu.

Tapan Sen welcomed the leadership of all Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and Pambis Kyritsis, General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). Addressing the Conference, Pambis Kyritsis expressed profound class solidarity, noting that while the 13th World Congress of WFTU was held in New Delhi in 2000, the upcoming 19th World Congress is set to be held in Colombo in May 2026. He strongly endorsed the ongoing struggles of the Indian working class and the united kisan movements, specifically supporting the February 12, 2026 general strike against the anti-worker labour codes. He assured the delegates that the CITU would never be alone in its fight, as it can rely on the active support of the class-oriented international trade union movement.

During the first session, two important resolutions were adopted. K Hemalata moved the resolution demanding the repeal of the four anti-worker labour codes and calling for a successful general strike on February 12, 2026, which was passed with a resounding round of applause. Tapan Sen moved a second resolution to oppose the privatisation of RINL (Vizag Steel Plant), calling for the protection and advancement of the public sector undertakings.

The conference was further enthralled and strengthened by the presence and greetings of leaders from all major Central Trade Unions (CTUs), including Mantri Rajashekhar, National Senior Secretary, INTUC, Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary, AITUC, Sudarshan Rao, Office Bearer Member of HMS, Clifton D. Rozario, Vice President, AICCTU, Jayasen Meher, All India Secretariat Member, AIUTUC, Shekkizhar Appasamy, Secretary, UTUC, Sonia George, Vice President, SEWA, and G. Madhusudan, national leader of TUCC. The unified presence and greetings reinforced the collective resolve of the CTUs to resist the anti-people policies of the government and to advance the rights of the working class in India more unitedly.

The delegate session began in the afternoon with the formal constitution of various committees to conduct the business of the conference more smoothly. K Hemalata delivered the presidential address underlining the current international situation in which this conference was being held. After that Tapan Sen presented the General Secretary’s Report in two parts. Part I dealt with the material conditions of the Indian working class, the challenges it encountered in the last three years and its movemental response, along with the future tasks. Fifty-nine delegates participated in the discussion following the presentation of the report. On the second day, Tapan Sen placed the General Secretary’s Report Part-II on organisation. In the deliberations on organisation, around 57 delegates participated. On the third day, Tapan Sen presented a separate document on Alternatives; 28 delegates enriched the draft with insightful contributions during their discussion. Treasurer M Saibabu submitted the statement of accounts.

During the four days, AIKS General Secretary Vijoo Krishnan, AIAWU General Secretary B Venkat, AIDWA General Secretary Mariam Dhawale, DYFI General Secretary Himaghnaraj Bhattacharyya and SFI President Adarsh M Saji greeted the Conference. Greeting messages were sent by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) and PAME (All-Workers Militant Front) of Greece, wishing successful conduct of the conference.

A total of eleven important resolutions related to crucial issues were passed – on communalism and class unity, deteriorating workplace safety standards in the light of increasing accidents, pension, working women, defending the LDF government in Kerala, repealing the retrograde VB-G RAM G Act 2025 and demanding restoration of MGNREGA, opposing the privatisation of electricity and the Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and opposing the Shanti Act that surrenders India’s nuclear sovereignty to US interests.

On January 3, immediately after the sudden US imperialist attack on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and kidnapping of the President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, the entire conference rose in anger and passed a resolution condemning the US aggression. Then K. Hemalata called for an immediate protest march along the beach road of Vizag in front of the venue. All the delegates came out of the hall and hit the road with red flags and slogans.

The conference elected 39 office-bearers with Sudip Dutta as President, Elamaram Kareem as General Secretary and M Saibabu as Treasurer, along with 3 permanent invitees. A 125-member strong Working Committee and a General Council of 425 members were also unanimously elected. The Conference culminated in a mammoth rally. In which thousands of workers with a very large number of women workers participated.

The 18th Conference of the CITU concluded with a clarion call to convert the crisis into heightened consciousness for social change, and dedicate itself in reaching the message to the toiling class in its entirety, upholding the slogan of Reaching the Unreached, and transforming the class battle into determined Defiance and Resistance.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)

Office Bearers Elected by the 18^th Conference held on 31 Dec 2025 – 4 January 2026

President

1.    SUDIP DUTTA          

General Secretary

2.    ELAMARAM KAREEM

Treasurer

3.    M SAIBABU

Vice Presidents

4.    TAPAN SEN

5.    K HEMALATA                                    (W)                 

6.    T P RAMAKRISHNAN

7.    A SOUNDARARAJAN                      

8.    J MERCYKUTTY AMMA       (W)     

9.    ANADI SAHU

10. P NANDAKUMAR     

11. D L KARAD                           

12. MALATHI CHITTIBABU         (W)

13. K CHANDRAN PILLAI

14. BISHNU MAHANTY                         

15. CHUKKA RAMULU                                                  

16. G BABYRANI                                     (W)                                         

Secretaries

17. S DEVROYE                                                             

18. KASHMIR SINGH THAKUR                        

19. G SUKUMARAN       

20. D D RAMANANDAN                         

21. A R SINDHU                          (W)

22. S VARALAKSHMI                  (W)                                                     

23. MEENAKSHI SUNDARAM              

24. USHA RANI                            (W)                                                                                         

25. MADHUMITA BANDOPADHYAYA (W)      

26. R KARUMALAIYAN                          

27. TAPAN SARMA                                

28. PRAMOD PRADHAN                       

29. K N UMESH  

30. CH NARASINGA RAO                                 

31. DEEPA K RAJAN                  (W)                             

32. LALIT MOHAN MISHRA      

33. PALADUGU BHASKAR       

34. K N GOPINATH

35. ZIA UL ALAM

36. SANKAR DUTTA

37. S KANNAN

38. JIBAN SAHA

39. SUREKHA                              (W)

Permanent Invitees

40. A K PADMANABHAN

41. MANIK DEY

42. A V NAGESWARA RAO