The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Jute workers’ gratuity: police swoop on fast camp

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Sunday, Jun 28, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Jute workers’ gratuity: police swoop on fast camp

Correspondent

Suri Babu launched fast on behalf of workers on June 20

Police action on a ‘peaceful protestor’ condemned by union
Payment of gratuity unpaid to 1500-odd employees

VIZIANAGARAM: Police scuttled the fast-unto-death protest by the 70-year-old Nelli Suri Babu at Moida junction in Nellimarla mandal on Saturday.

In an early-hour swoop on the indefinite hunger strike camp, the police shifted him to district headquarters hospital for treatment.

His condition was stated to be normal.

Mr. Suri Babu, a Gandhian, launched the fast voluntarily on June 20 on behalf of Nellimarla jute mill workers seeking payment of gratuity that remained unpaid to 1500-odd employees for many years now.

Long struggle

Condemning the police action on the peaceful protester, J. V. Chalapathi Rao, president of the Nellimarla Jute Mill Karmika Sangham told a press conference on Saturday that the sangham, affiliated to IFTU, had been fighting for justice since September last year.

The conciliatory talks arranged by local minister Botcha Satyanarayana during the last four years between management and union leaders before the Additional Commissioner of Labour, Deputy Commissioner of Labour and Joint Commissioner of Labour had failed.

At the recent talks on June 4 and 5, Mr. Satyanarayana expressed his inability to sort out the problem.

However, he assured union leaders that he would assist them, if needed, within the purview of the statute, Mr. Chalapathi Rao said, adding that 1500 more jute workers on their retirement would become eligible for gratuity by the end of the next year.

He demanded that the Government bring pressure on the management and settle the issue.

At least, it must either nationalise the jute mill in the interest of 5000 workers and their families or appoint a new promoter through B.I.F.R, he said.

Mr. Chalapathi Rao said that the police action would not deter the workers from calling off their protest; rather they would intensify it in phases.

‘Chalo Assembly’

He said that it would organise ‘Chalo Assembly’ and ‘Chalo CM’ during the forthcoming Budget session of the Assembly for their just demand.

District IFTU general secretary K. Sanyasi Rao, Nellimarla Jute Mill Karmika Sangham general secretary B. Satyanarayana and others were present.

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