Trade Unions Staged Protest Against SAIL
Rajesh Mohapatra,Odishabarta
ROURKELA: The combined trade unions of Rourkela Steel Plant have staged 24 hours protest against SAILon 30th June for not listening to their demands which has been long pending.
This has happened after long years where all unions have united and staged protest and the success was enormous.
As per the trade union leaders, in this protest almost 90% of the employees of RSP, SAIL have participated and it caused a huge embarrassing and loss for the management of SAIL. The NJCS (National Joint Committee on Steel) meet which was going on for last six days through virtual meeting regarding wage agreement and many other demands failed. This resulted to massive dissatisfaction among the trade unions and they decided to go for 24 hours protest and staged the same on 30th June in front of RSP, SAIL gate and also simultaneously staged dharna near Bisra Chawk.
Tension mounted when the member of trade union leaders shouted slogans against SAIL management and stopped few RSP employees entering the gate. Massive police personnel were deployed but it was a difficult task to handle a large numbers of employees participated this protest from different trade unions, made it a grand success.
This has happened after a long 12 years since a large protest of this kind organized. It has impacted the immensely the operation of RSP and resulted to a great concern for the higher management of SAIL. RSP management has termed this protest as illegal and had warned before time to the employees to continue their daily office without any absence. Since the demands put forwarded are genuine they (employees) considered, have participated this protest without any hitch.
The trade unions who have participated in this protest are INTUC, CITU, BMS, Gangpur Mazdoor Manch, HMS, RMS, AITUC and few others. Why many employees feel cheated because the wage revision which was pending since 2017 was not been fully unilaterally finalized on the table. Although few demands have been accepted by the SAIL authority but many other demands are not considered rightfully. Among many unconsidered demands one demand is to compensate financially and to provide a job to the family members of employees who have lost lives due to corona.
This time trade union leaders are very much bullish to fight the management of SAIL because they have the strength of the employees now and the management of SAIL seems to be in back foot. Leaders of trade unions have also warned the authority of SAIL that if demands are not met soon, many more protest of this type will be taken into the hand and the management of SAIL will be responsible solely and wholly. Now it is yet to see what SAIL authority is going to do!
