Jubilant over their victory in a nail-biting finish in the elections held for the recognised union of RINL, CITU and its allies on Tuesday declared that they will go all out to fulfil the promises they made during campaigning.
“Intensifying the agitation against 10% disinvestment of RINL, the corporate entity of VSP, initiating dialogue for wage revision and payment of arrears on revised HRA for the employees are on top our agenda,” CITU-affiliated Steel Plant Employees’ Union president J. Ayodhyaram told The Hindu.
In the triangular contest held on Monday, results of which were declared at midnight, CITU and its allies topped the list with 3784 votes followed by INTUC 3586 and AITUC 3234. In the last elections, INTUC-affiliate Visakha Steel Employees’ Congress (VSEC) had won the recognised union status.
This time the split in Left union votes notwithstanding, CITU could manage to scrape through in the keenly fought elections mainly due to alliance it formed with a union led by Padi Trinadha Rao. His union was earlier part of INTUC-led front, which won the last polls under the leadership of VSEC general secretary Mantri Rajasekhar. AITUC also got a good number of votes due to YSR Trade Union Congress.
“The Centre has been meting out step-motherly treatment to RINL by denying compensation for Hudhud losses and later not considering capital restructuring,” CITU State president Ch. Narsinga Rao said.
He said delay in sanctioning captive mines was one of the main reasons for high production cost being incurred by RINL.
