Our Bureau

Visakhapatnam , Aug. 17

EMPLOYEES of the Chittivalasa Jute Mills at Tagarapuvalasa in Visakhapatnam district resumed duty on Wednesday after the management lifted the lock-out, which it had declared on May 5.

An amicable settlement to the three-and-a-half-month long row was reached on Tuesday after tripartite talks with the Deputy Labour Commissioner, representatives of the management and the workers' unions.

The workers abstained from duty after the management issued a circular on May 4 reducing the wages for new badli workers from Rs 140 to Rs 85 per day. As part of the settlement mooted by Joint Collector, Mr Sandeep Kumar Sultania and Bhimunipatnam MLA, Mr Karri Sitaram, the circular was kept under abeyance.

A committee to be formed with equal representation from the management and the union will study the issues raised by both of them and submit its report in three months. The panel will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Labour. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions held the general body meeting of its union on Wednesday and only after apprising the members of the details about the draft agreement, a unanimous decision was taken to call off the strike. The meeting was addressed by Mr Sitaram as well as CITU State president, Mr Ch. Narsinga Rao. Both of them complimented the workers for their struggle for their rights for over 100 days.

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