The one-day strike observed by the employees and workers of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) following the call given by the Central Trade Unions, demanding implementation of wage agreement, apart from withdrawing the decision to privatise the plant, was peaceful and successful on Tuesday.
Though the workers have been observing relay hunger strike at the Steel Plant arch at Kurmannapalem for over 135 days against the decision of the Union government to privatise VSP, it has not affected production as they are participating in relay fasts by turns, after attending to their shift duties.
The employees and workers, owing allegiance to various trade unions, as part of the day-long strike, boycotted duties and squatted on the road outside the main gate of RINL-VSP. The security personnel closed the gates as a precautionary measure. The union leaders threatened to go on indefinite strike if the Centre did not change its decision on privatisation of the plant.
Gate meeting
Later, at a gate meeting held in the evening, the union leaders alleged that the VSP management had been prolonging the discussions on wage agreement on the directions of the government.
They attributed the delay in the finalisation of the wage agreement to the Labour Codes, proposed to be implemented by the Centre.
They found fault with the INTUC for backing out from the strike at the eleventh hour, and alleged that it had turned out to be the pawn in the game of the Central government and the steel managements.
They demanded that the management and the government stop trying to create a rift among the steel workers, failing which the agitation would be intensified.
The other demands included granting of 15% MGB, 35% perks and 6% pension, payment of wage revision arrears, payable from January 1, 2007, and allotment of captive mines to VSP.
Addressing the participants at the relay hunger strike camp, which continued for the 138th day, Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee chairman D. Adinarayana said the Centre was keen on 100% disinvestment of the plant as part of which the meeting of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) was held in New Delhi on June 22. The strike was held to oppose this move. He said the workers were ready for any sacrifice to save the plant.
Committee co-convener K. Satyanarayana Rao, members Dommeti Appa Rao, Kommineni Srinivas, U. Venkateswarlu and J. Ramakrishna participated.
