Workers of Sri Lakshmi Srinivasa Jute Mills, affiliated to IFTU, on Thursday, staged protest demonstrations at the Collector’s Office demanding that the district administration take steps to save the jute industry in the district. IFTU district secretary K. Sanyasi Rao said due to power holiday on Mondays and weekly off permanent employees were working only five days a week. Citing power cuts, the management had now decided to run its three units four days in a week without declaring ‘lay off’, he alleged. The management had reduced its production targets and engaging 50 per cent of the 10,000 workers. Further, the management had not been depositing LIC premium, PF etc with the concerned departments regularly, he alleged. Though all the 11 jute mills in the district could provide employment to 40,000 people, only half of them were now working due to apathy of the Labour Department, Mr. Sanyasi Rao said.
