Jute mill workers stage sit-in for wage commission implementation

Thousands of workers of the nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna-Jashore industrial belt began demonstration this morning as part of their pre-scheduled agitation programme demanding implementation of wage commission.

The workers from jute mills -- Star, Platinum, Crescent, Alum, Eastern, Carpeting and three others – started the sit-in in front of their respective mills around 9:30am today, reports our Khulna correspondent.

On November 23, they went on the demonstration to press home their 11-point demand including payment of due salary and implementation of wage commission.

The authorities however paid due salaries of 12 weeks to the workers on December 6.

The other demands include cancellation of public-private ownership, payment of provident fund gratuity for retired workers.

Sahana Sarmin, president of Platinum workers Union, told our correspondent that the government is yet to implement the wage commission though it was announced in 2015.

"We are going to start a fast-unto-death from December 10 to press home our demands,” she said.

Murad Hossain, former president of Crescent Jute Mill CBA, said, "The authorities always give assurance as their policy to keep the workers away from the demonstration. “But this time, we won’t go back,” he said.

There are total 30,600 workers in the nine state-run jute mills in Khulna and Jashore.

On November 23, the workers announced the seven-day agitation programme under the banner of “State-owned Jute Mill Collective Bargaining Association (CBA) and Non-CBA Sangram Parishad”.

The programme was announced at a separate meeting and demonstration rally at the jute mills in Khulna-Jashore region on November 23.

The announced programmes include procession on November 25, hunger strike at different mill gates from 8am to 5pm on November 27, protest rally on December 2, and strike on December 5.