Take steps to reopen closed jute mills

Vijayawada: The Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) demanded that the government declare jute industry as a national industry and pass a resolution in the state Assembly to extend a helping hand to the jute industry.

Addressing the gathering at a meeting held at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on Friday, AITUC state general secretary Obulesu demanded that the government take steps to pay salaries, PF dues and open jute mills which were closed in the state earlier.

He demanded that the government encourage jute products and take steps to get better price to the jute farmers. He said that there were thousands of workers working in the jute mills and stressed on the need to give minimum salaries to the jute workers and take steps to give DA to the jute workers.

He demanded stern action against the managements of the jute mills involving in the trade union movements. He warned that if the government did not respond, they would intensify their agitation to mount pressure on the government to achieve their demands. He said that they were staging a protest as part of their Chalo Assembly programme.

IFTU leaders I P Prasad, J Venkateswarulu, U Venkateswara Rao, K Sanyasa Rao, N Neelam Raju were among those who participated in the meeting.