Nearly 4,000 workers at almond processing units in north-east Delhi’s Karawal Nagar ended their 24-day-long protest for a hike in daily wages on Tuesday after the factory owners agreed to their demands.
The workers will now be paid ₹3 per kg for sifting almonds instead of ₹2 per kg they were paid earlier. The wages of those working in packaging units have also been increased from ₹5 per kg to ₹6 per kg.
The factory owners have also agreed to provide separate washrooms for men and women workers and face masks for all workers to prevent lung-related ailments.
The workers, under the banner of the Karawal Nagar Mazdoor Union (KMU), had been protesting since March 2 against low wages that had not been increased for the past 12 years.
“The proprietors have also agreed to increase the wages of the workers every year,” KMU president Yogesh Swami said.
However, some workers voiced their dissatisfaction with the meagre raise in wages.
“We protested in heat, sometimes barefoot, with the hope of securing a payment of ₹10 per kg for sifting almonds and ₹12 per kg for packaging them. The increment of ₹1 feels unfair,” said Sangeeta Devi, who was among the protesting workers. She claimed to have been assaulted by men hired by the factory owners in a bid to scare away the demonstrators.
“We lost 24 days’ worth of wages only for a monthly increment of close to ₹100? What can one afford with this salary?” said another worker Ranju Devi.
