Balasore, December 13 (Odisha.in) Prior to the forth-coming Assembly polls, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has gone one more step ahead to strengthen its grass-root level politics and capture supporters from each and every sector.
The ruling partner has stepped into trade union politics.
For the first time, it has formed a labourer union in Birla Tyres in Balasore district and claimed to have members and supporters more than other trade unions operating in the company.
“We have formed Sangrami Birla Tyres Mazdoor Morcha (SBTMM). It is the first BJD affiliated labourer union, which got registered as per the provisions of labour department recently,” Jyotiskar Mohapatra, former BJD state coordinator and president of the Morcha, said on Wednesday.
“It is our first step towards the trade union politics. Such unions would soon be formed in other companies located in the district and work under the clean and non-corrupt image of Naveen Patnaik for the workers,” he informed reporters.
This Mazdoor Morch however has promised its members for over all development of labourers and workers working in the Rs 600-crore tyre factory. It assured them of creating a worker friendly environment and organizing awareness programmes.
“We would fight for the interest of workers and labourers. We would also raise our voice regularly for peripheral development as ever since its inception no significant development has been done by the company in the locality,” said Kamal Lochan Das, general secretary of the Morcha.
In a press conference organized on Tuesday to declare the union’s formation, its office bearers declared their motives and objectives. They also placed their ten-point charter of demands before the company authorities demanding to be fulfilled soon.
Their demands include cancellation of recent agreement done with some so-called trade unions, election of labourers and recognition to one union after the election, financial assistance to labourers after their retirement and employment to land losers.
They also demanded benefits for the permanent workers, who are promoted from company casual, facilities to company casuals same as permanent workers, appointment of skilled workers as per gradation in the vacant posts and foods in cheaper rate in the company canteen.
“A huge gethering of labourers would soon be organized at Birla Tyres in which several BJD ministers and state functionaries would join as guests,” Mohapatra, now president of Balasore Co-operative Urban Bank, said.
To celebrate the formation of the new union a motor-cycle rally comprising over 500 bikes also covered the entire town on this occasion.
Odisha.in