Two months old strike in Jute mills called off in Bengal

Kolkata, Mar 8 (UNI) Following intense and repeated negotiations, the 62-day-old strike in all 55 jute mills in West Bengal was called off today after a tripartite agreement reached among the workers, managements and the government.

The decision to withdraw the strike, jeopardising the future of more than 69,000 jute employees and their families in the state, was taken at the seventh round of talks in about ten days held in presence of labour minister Mrinal Banerjee and senior representatives of all the five major jute unions and the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA).

After nearly 90 minmutes' meeting the jute owners in accordance with the workers demands, had agreed to release 314 points of Dearness Allowance in phases to the workers. Of them 257 points of DA would be released soon, while the remaininig 57 points would be given before the Pujas, official sources after the meeting confirmed.

The meeting had also agreed to form a separate expert committee to oversee and monitor the productivity in the industry and recommend further steps to improve the decaying condition of the industry as a whole, the sources added.

Following the withdrawal of the strike, work in all the 55 jute mills was expected to resume from tomorrow ending the two months long uncertainty about the future among the huge workforce and their families.

UNI