INDIA: JUTE INDUSTRY HIT BY WORKER'S STRIKE

Record ID: 342082

  • Title: INDIA: JUTE INDUSTRY HIT BY WORKER'S STRIKE
  • Date: 5th August 1969
  • Summary: 1. GV PAN..JUTE MILL 0.05 2. SLV CLOSED GATE, PAN TO TROOPS MOVING TO GUARD 0.12 3. GV DESERTED JUTE MILL YARD 0.20 4. SV TWO SOLDIERS ON GUARD, PAN TO GV STREET WITH OTHER TROOPS APPROACHING 0.28 5. LV STRIKERS, ASSEMBLED WITH FLAGS, DEMONSTRATING 0.35 6. MV TROOPS LOOK ON 0.36 7. MV & CV DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING (4 SHOTS) 1.02 8. CU STRIKERS CHANTING 1.05 9. GV CLOSED GATES OF MILL 1.10 Initials PK/VS/JF/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th August 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEAR CALCUTTA, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Reuters ID: LVA6VNTZT2TX5H1CANEUK1GCLEZU
  • Story Text: A STRIKE BY WORKERS IN INDIA'S WEST BENGAL JUTE MILLS HAS BROUGHT THE COUNTRY'S JUTE INDUSTRY TO A HALT, DESPITE REPORTED MOVES BY MANAGEMENTS FOR A SETTLEMENT. MORE THAN 200,000 WORKERS LAUNCHED AN INDEFINITE STRIKE YESTERDAY (MONDAY) TO BACK DEMANDS FOR A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE.

    THE JUTE INDUSTRY IS INDIA'S MAIN FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNER, AND IT IS FEARED THE STOPPAGE WILL COST THE COUNTRY 10 MILLION RUPEES (GBP550,000 STERLING) A DAY -- 75 PER CENT OF IT IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE THROUGH LOST EXPORTS.

    WEST BENGAL'S DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER, MR JYOTI BASUS, HAS TOLD THE STATE ASSEMBLY THAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INDIAN JUTE MILLS ASSOCIATION, WHICH GROUP THE MANAGEMENT OF 62 OF THE 70 STRIKE-HIT MILLS, HAVE MADE PROPOSALS TO END THE STOPPAGE. THESE HAD BEEN COMMUNICATED TO UNION LEADERS.

    A WAGE INCREASE HAS BEEN REFUSED BY THE MANAGEMENT SO FAR ON THE GROUND THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY MORE UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT GIVES RELIEF TO THE INDUSTRY BY CUTTING EXPORT DUTIES.

    SQUADS OF POLICE AND TROOPS HAVE BEEN STATIONED OUTSIDE NILLS AS DEMONSTRATING WORKERS CARRYING FLAGS AND BANNERS CONTINUES WITH THEIR DEMANDS.

    THE WORKERS ARE SEEKING A RISE FROM THE PRESENT 142 RUPEES (GBP8 STERLING) A MONTH TO 364 RUPEES (GBP15 STERLING).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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