Jute mill workers stage protests over non-payment of dues during lockdown

Total outstanding pegged at Rs 250 cr; a section of trade unions threatens hunger strike if wages are not cleared

Jute workers today protested outside the mills seeking payment of dues during the lockdown period. In total, the wage bill of the jute industry during the lockdown period is more than Rs 250 crore.

A section of trade unions have also threatened to go on hunger strike if the dues are not cleared.

Jute mills employ about 150 thousand workers, including a large number of contract labourers.

Only two mills have paid workers during the lockdown period.

According to Raghav Gupta, Chairman, IJMA (Indian Jute Mills Association), the turnover loss of the mills during the lockdown period is close to Rs 700 crore.  

Jute workers are also of the view of that allowing only 15 per cent of them would lead to great dissatisfaction and could even distrupt the law and order situation, said Basudeb Basu, general secretary, AICCTU(All India Central Council of Trade Unions), West Bengal.

"Today we held protests in accordance with social distancing norms. If the payments are not made, the protests will intensify," said Basu.

“For the time being, Jute mill owners should pay the dues from the gratuity account of the workers, and later settle the issue through dialogue," said Sanjay Kumar Rai, general secretary, TMC Jute and Textiles Workers Association.

In West Bengal, jute mills are expected to reopen on April 20.

Jute mills faced with the task of supplying bags worth about Rs 1500 crore ahead of Rabi harvesting to various states. The West Bengal government has allowed the mills operate at 15 per cent workforce. According to mills, this will enable them to meet only 15-20 per cent of the commitments.

May is the peak time for jute mills as jute bag packaging is mandatory for food grains. Also up to 20 per cent of sugar packaging has to be done in jute bags. The mills have a pending order book of processing close to 6 lakh bales of jute. This apart, jute mills are also getting a number of export enquires, but they are unable to meet the demand.

There are about 43 operational composite operational jute mills in West Bengal. A number of mills fall in the locality of Howrah, which has reported high number of Covid 19 cases.

Apart from domestic demand, over the years, demand for finished jute products have increased in the overseas markets, particularly the US. India also exports jute bags to several coffee producing countries. Exports have grown from 30 million in 2013-14 to 56 million in FY19.