Visakhapatnam steel plant employees issues strike notice to stop privatisation of VSP

Visakhapatnam: Concerns of Visakhapatnam steel plant employees are mounting ever since the announcement of privatisation of the Vizag steel plant. The Visakhapatnam Steel plant conservation Struggle Committee has issued a strike notice opposing the central government's decision.

A strike notice was issued to Visakhapatnam Steel CMD on Thursday demanding the withdrawal of the privatisation decision, termination of the Seetammadhara land sale agreement and termination of the agreement with POSCO. The unions are demanding permanent employment for R-card holders. The Steel Plant Committee made it clear that they would go on strike anytime after 14 days.

Protests were further exacerbated when the Union Finance Minister announced in Parliament on Monday that it was selling the Visakhapatnam steel plant. Employees stormed the steel plant administration building on Tuesday morning at the call of the Steel plant conservation Committee.

During this sequence, Venugopal Rao, the Steel Plant Director (Finance) car was stopped. The HR department ED Balaji along with the director were kept under the tree. The unions urged MPs to resign to their posts and join the movement.