Jute mill strike withdrawn

The 19-day old indefinite jute strike ended late last night with the Union government playing a lead role in resolving the impasse.

A four-point tripartite memorandum of settlement has been signed between the mill owners, workers' unions and Central and West Bengal government officials for resolving the crisis.

According to the settlement, workmen shall be paid a sum of Rs 500 per month (for 208 hours) with effect from the date the mill re-opens as ad hoc payment against outstanding dues.

Eighteen trade unions barring the CITU dominated Bengal Chatkal Mazdoor Union (BCMU) had gone on an indefinite strike from December 1, 2008 demanding higher dearness allowance (DA) and full payment of workers’ statutory dues.

Though BCMU kept away from the strike on arguments of being ‘untimely’ and ‘not properly geared’, also signed the settlement.

It was decided that a tripartite committee consisting of central and state government experts, employers and trade union representatives will be constituted by the Union government to study all outstanding issues and various facets of working of jute industry including production, productivity and wage structure.

The committee will submit its recommendations to the labour ministry within eight weeks.

The settlement said that the 19-day period of strike will be treated as no-work no-pay for the workers and they will have to join duties within 15 days from the re-opening of the mills.

The strike period will not be treated as a break or discontinuity of service for the workmen.