Farmers Movement Archive

Trade unions plan meeting with farmers in Delhi to intensify stir

Hyderabad Taking their agitation to the next level, workers at the loss-making Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), also known as Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, have decided to launch an indefinite strike to protest against the privatization of the steel plant. Trade unions plan to hold talks with farmers who have been protesting outside the Capital’s borders against the three contentious agricultural bills since November 27, to understand how to plan and manage a lengthy protest. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of Vizag Steel Plant Parirakshana Samithi, a joint action committee (JAC) of the trade unions, late on Tuesday.“We shall serve the strike notice to RINL management on Thursday. All the workers will go on an indefinite strike from a date which will be decided later. We have also decided to constitute committees with employees working in various departments of the steel plant and launch a campaign till March 19, preparing the workers for a long-drawn agitation,” J Ayodhya Ramu, president of Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the recognized trade union of RINL, said. RINL workers are planning to hold discussions with top farm leaders, including Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait. “We are studying their model of agitation and if possible, we shall adopt their strategy to wage a long-drawn battle to prevent the privatization of the steel plant. We have invited the farm leaders to Visakhapatnam on March 28 for a meeting with steel plant workers on how to go about with the future course of action,” the trade union leader said.Meanwhile, the trade unions have decided to stage a dharna in front of the steel plant on March 15. “On March 16 and 17, representatives of the trade unions will visit Delhi to represent our issue with the floor leaders of all political parties and request them to take up our case in Parliament,” Ramu said. The JAC has also decided to hold a massive rally titled ‘Karmika Garjana’ (roar of the workers) at Trishna Grounds near the Steel City in Visakhapatnam on March 20. Prominent national trade union leaders, including G Sanjeeva Reddy of INTUC, Tapan Kumar Sen of CITU, Amarjeet Kaur of AITUC and Surendranath Pandey of BMS are likely to attend this public meeting. The steel plant workers have intensified their agitation following a statement by Union finance minister in Lok Sabha on Monday on the Centre’s plan for 100% disinvestment of its shares in the RINL which has a production capacity of 6.3 million tonnes per annum, and makes products used in the construction sector. RINL has at least 17,000 permanent employees and 14,000 contract employees.

Hindustan Times

11-03-2021

India