Union leaders protest against privatisation of VSP

Visakhapatnam: Opposing the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and against the sale of other public sector units, trade unions staged protests at various industries here on Friday.

Under the aegis of the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee, the Visakhapatnam district labour unions organised dharnas in front of the public sector industries. The protests were carried out at the VSP, NTPC, BHEL, HPCL, HSL and BDL.

Trade union leaders and workers reached the gates of the companies at 7 am and staged protests by raising slogans against the Central government. Speaking on this occasion, the trade union leaders J Rama Krishna, YT Das, U Rama Swamy and Srirama Murthy said the Union government is taking measures to sell the VSP and the effort would be stopped through protests.

Trade union leaders alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to handover the PSUs to the private players. Extending support to the protest, Insurance Corporation Employees' Union held demonstrations at the LIC building, divisional office against the 100 percent strategic sale of VSP under the banner of All India Insurance Employees Association. It was followed by a meeting.

For the past two years, steel plant workers and officers are on the warpath not to privatise the plant. CITU state president Ch Narasinga Rao pointed out that the Union government is not allocating mines to the steel sector. He said the fight against the privatisation move would continue and no private operator would be allowed to enter the plant premises. Among others, general secretary of ICEU G Vara Prasad Rao, LIC working women convenor Surya Prabha and covener A Ramakrishna, LIC employees, bank employees participated in the meeting.