Jute Industry unions announce 2 month long protest demanding wage hike, clearance of dues

Kolkata, Mar 8 (KNN) As many as 21 trade unions operating in Jute industry in West Bengal have called for a two-month long protest demanding wage hike and clearance of dues.

The trade unions are demanding minimum monthly wage of Rs 18,000 and clearance of dues of statutory benefits.

West Bengal produces about 85 percent raw jute in the country and more than 83 percent jute mills in India are in the state.

According to a media report, CITU affiliated Bengal Chatkal Mazdoor Union's General Secretary and state's former Labour Minister Anandi Sahu said, "Mill owners have not been honouring the terms and conditions of the agreement and state government too is not monitoring it."

Federation of Chatkal Mazdoor Union Joint General Secretary Pranesh Biswas said ESI and provident fund contribution was deducted from employees but not remitted to the appropriate authorities.

Sahu said that there was an outstanding (amount) of Rs 480 crore for gratuity, Rs 120 crore for provident fund and Rs 90 crore for ESI and a mill-wise outstanding list was already submitted to the Union Textile Minister in the last October but nothing has changed.

Trade unions leaders also said a survey done by National Jute Board pointed out that 70 percent of workers' wage was about less than Rs 5,000 a month.

"We have been demanding the minimum wage of Rs 18,000 a month and clearance all the dues," said Paschim Banga Chatkal Mazdoor Federation state General Secretary Debdas Chatterjee.

Unions went on to say that the mills were importing jute bags from Bangladesh to meet the government's requirement.

"Diluting Jute Packaging Materials Act, 1987 frequently and ordering for synthetic bags after non supply of government's orders by the jute mills in the state caused serious crisis for the industry," said Sahu.