Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 11
The protest against Jagatjit Industries by the Jagatjit Industries Democratic Workers Union today entered sixth day. About 30 to 50 workers have been protesting daily for the past six days amid rain and chilly weather. While there are about 3,000 contractual workers in the factory, the protesting workers demanded that their salaries be increased and all workers be regularised.
Indian Federation of Trade Union’s (IFTU) state secretary Avtar Singh Tari and union leader Satish Kumar, while condemning the indifferent attitude of the administration against workers, said the agitation would be continued till the demand of the workers were met. The Kapurthala administration had failed to take action in the matter.
Admn failed to act in matter: Protesters
- The protesting workers said the administration was unwilling to act against the factory owners. Workers’ demands such as salary hike, increase in bonus, promotions, ending of the contractual system and regularisation of services of contractual workers and recruitment were not being met.
They said the administration was unwilling to act against the factory owners. Workers’ demands such as salaries, increase in bonus, promotions, ending of the contractual system and regularisation of contractual workers and recruitment were not being met.
Both leaders said they had no other option but to intensify the agitation. They asked factory workers to participate in big numbers in the protest.
The protesters have been demanding 50 per cent increase in salaries.
PMU activist Kashmir Singh Ghugshore said: “After December 2019, showcause notices were issued to some workers who submitted a memorandum of their demands on November 15. Their entry was stopped in the factory. The affected workers are holding protest since then. We will intensify the agitation and more workers will join us in the future.”
The workers said action should be taken against the guilty in the incident when leaders protesting against the closure of the factory were beaten up.
