AITUC to organise workers of closed, sick industries

December 08, 2015 12:00 am | Updated March 24, 2016 02:30 pm IST - BERHAMPUR:

All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has decided to organise workers of closed or sick industries in Odisha in next three months for protection of their rights and livelihood.

This was resolved at its 12th Odisha State conference, which concluded in Berhampur on Monday. According to AITUC leaders, most of the closed or sick industries in Odisha are from small or medium sector that provide maximum employment. “We have decided to hold agitations and ‘jail bharo’ movement of workers of small and medium scale sectors in front of all district labour offices in Odisha in March 2016,” said Odisha AITUC general secretary Souribandhu Kar.

Speaking to newsmen, Mr Kar said the Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government was giving sops to corporate sector for establishment of large industries, while no efforts are being made to revive the sick and closed industries in the State. Even the new industrial policy is not clear regarding efforts to revive these sick and closed industries.

AITUC leaders criticised the State government for not analysing the reasons for closure of some major industrial units in the state including those of public and cooperative sectors. So, the Odisha unit has decided to come up with a detailed report which would also contain opinion of workers. This report would be handed over to the State government. AITUC national secretary Ramkrushna Panda alleged that anti-labour industrial policy has jeopardized social security of cottage industry in Odisha and recent economic slow down has also affected workers in other sectors like construction. It is an irony that in Ganjam, the home district of the CM, there is no major industry and the existing ones are closed or at the verge of closure.

Mr Kar demanded documentation of all migrant labourers at district labour offices. He wanted a special official to be deputed for the purpose at all district labour offices. He lamented that registration of migrant labourers of Ganjam district was still pending. “Will a migrant labourer in need of immediate income source wait for around a year to get registered by labour department,” he asked.

To rejuvenate the organisation in Odisha, AITUC has included large number of youngsters and women in its newly-formed State council. Ashok Das was re-elected the president, while Mr Kar continued as its general secretary.

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