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Beedi workers, who are seeking a wage hike, will strike from May 25.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Mr B. Madhava, President of the Karnataka State Beedi Workers’ Federation (affiliated to CITU), said that the recent meeting of the sub-committee of the Karnataka Labour Department had agreed to increase the minimum wages of beedi workers from Rs 93.24 for every 1,000 beedis rolled to Rs 116.20.
The decision has not yet been implemented. Beedi workers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, numbering around four lakh, will strike work from May 25 seeking an increase in their wages.
Gazette notification
Mr Madhava has criticised the Government for delaying the gazette notification of the increase in minimum wages.
Representatives from manufacturing companies were also part of the sub-committee. Manufacturers, who had agreed to increase the wages at the sub-committee meeting, are now giving the reason that it has not been published in Karnataka Gazette, he said.
Daily production
Asked about the average daily production of beedi in these districts, Mr J. Balakrishna Shetty, General Secretary of South Canara Beedi Workers Federation (affiliated to CITU), said that nearly eight crore beedis a day are produced in these two districts.
Mr Madhava said that beedi workers will not be responsible for the loss in production during their strike period, as the manufacturers have not yet increased their minimum wages.
It may be mentioned here that another beedi workers union (affiliated to AITUC) had recently stated that its members would stage protest in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada on June 5 seeking an increase in their minimum wages.
vinayakaj@thehindu.co.in
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