As tension gripped this industrial area, District Collector N. Yuvaraj, Superintendent of Police Koya Praveen, Joint Collector J. Nivas, Anakapalle MP Muttasetti Srinivasa Rao and Yelamanchili MLA Panchakarla Ramesh Babu rushed to the BIAC and after holding talks with the management, appealed to the agitating workers to call off the strike.
Collector seeks time
Mr. Yuvaraj, while promising action on their demands such as wage revision, improvement in working conditions and representation to the Central government to allow employees to withdraw employers’ share on resignation, told them to give some time to resolve issues raised by them.
He said BIAC was one of the major industrial units and post-bifurcation, the government was trying to attract industries to create jobs. At this juncture going on strike would send wrong signals, he stated.
Earlier, the BIAC management had stated that they would convey their decision on the demands raised by the workers by April 30 after which another group of workers, who went on a flash strike on Friday, withdrew it on Saturday evening.
When production was about to resume in the morning, those who did not go on strike on Friday insisted that everyone should stay away from work till they received firm commitment from the management.
The women employees raised slogans against the Brandix management alleging that it was paying them just Rs. 5,000 a month and subjecting them to harassment at workplace and not allowing them to go on leave.
Responding to their demands, Mr. Yuvaraj directed the management to identify officers who were harassing the poor rural women and promised to send self-help group members to interact with them to know the prevailing working conditions.
CITU district general secretary S. Ramesh and CPI (M) district secretary K. Loknadham pointed out that as per draft GO issued in 2011, the minimum monthly salary recommended was around Rs. 8,400 and at the time of the final notification, it became Rs. 5,000 due to various reasons.
The issue of depressed wages was raised in the Assembly by BJP Floor Leader and Visakha North MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju.
(by Santosh Patnaik - thehindu.com)
