Jute mill workers in strike in West Bengal

Kolkata, Sept 04 (UNI) Jute production received a jolt today after around two lakh mill workers observed a day's token strike across the state to press for 20-point charter of demands with the mill management.

The demands include resumption and clearing of backlog of dearness allowance, gratuity, provident fund, minimum wage and new pay scale and grade.

"The strike is sucessful as almost all the operating mills are observing strike and staging demonstrations outside the mill gates," CITU affiliated Bengal Chatkol Mazdoor Union secretary Gobinda Guha said.

However, there were reports that in Nafarchand Jute Mills in North 24 Parganas district the strike was partial.

There were no reports of any strike related trouble at the jute mills.

National Union Jute Workers secretary general Ganesh Sarkar said there were 50 operative mills out of a total of 62 in West Bengal and the strike was observed in all.

All the 20 trade unions of the jute industry have joined in the strike.

The unions were, however, divided over the indefinite strike proposal slated from November.

CITU and INTUC leaders were hopeful of ironing out the differences with other trade unions.

The strike would lead to a loss of average daily production, the jute mill owners said.

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