Trade unions staged protests in Coimbatore demanding to reopen NTC mills
Workers of National Textile Corporation mills in Coimbatore staged a protest here on Wednesday demanding the re-opening of the mills.
Sachin Mohan Ahir, chairman of the Save NTC movement, told presspersons here on Wednesday the mills had remained closed since last year following the lockdown to control COVID-19 spread.
This had affected over 20,000 workers of the mills across the country and their family members. The workers were paid just 50 % of their basic wages and DA.
As many as 23 trade unions have joined hands to demand the Central government to reopen the mills. “The workers are willing to work. Funds are available. But, the Central Government does not want to run the mills,” he alleged.
“On one side, the Centre is promising to increase employment. But it is refusing to reopen NTC mills. The government should shun the plans to privatize the mills and reopen them. Otherwise, we will protest in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in Ahmedabad,” he said.
He said the trade unions would hoist black flags at NTC offices on January 26, after the hoisting of the national flag.
Following the protest in Coimbatore on Wednesday, the workers will stage a demonstration in Kerala next month. They will organise protests and will not relent till the mills are re-opened and labourers get work.
Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan said a delegation of MPs had met the Textile Minister and sought to reopen the mills. But, the government seems to have other plans, he added.
Meena
Read, New Covid war room in RS Puram, Coimbatore on ycourcoimbatore.com
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