Jute mill strike to continue; TUs likely to approach PM

Kolkata, Feb 19 (UNI) The central trade unions, continuing an indefinite strike in jute mills, are likely to seek the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to find a solution to the crisis in the industry.

''If necessary, we will seek the intervention of the Prime Minister and the West Bengal Chief Minister into the problem, caused by the rigid attitude of the mill owners,'' CITU state General Secretary Kali Ghosh said.

Blaming the mill owners for the deadlock over workers' demands, Mr Ghosh told a press conference that the trade unions would continue the strike that entered the 46th day today.

''It is the rigid attitude of the mill owners that prolongs the impasse in the industry. They have already frustrated efforts for a settlement in a tripartite meeting, called by the state Government. In this situation, we have no alternative, but to continue the strike,'' he said.

Called by 20 trade unions, including CITU, AITUC and INTUC, about 2.5 lakh jute workers started the indefinite strike in the state's 26 jute mills on January five in support of a 14-point charter of demands.

Their demands include payment of arrear dearness allowance, provident fund and wage revision.

CITU state Vice-President Mohammad Amin, who was present at the conference, said the mill owners had defaulted on the payment towards provident fund and gratuity amounting to Rs 250 crore and Rs 400 crore respectively.

Alleging that the 'synthetic lobby' was putting pressure on the UPA Government at the Centre to ignore the problems in the jute industry, Mr Ghosh and Mr Amin said CITU would launch a mass campaign in support of the workers' demands involving different other left frontal organisations.

UNI