BL reported that CITU has called a strike in Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and the plants coming under Steel Authority of India Limited on January 5th 2010 to insist on 24% minimum guaranteed benefit for 130,000 workers.

A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of CITU affiliated Steel Workers Federation of India. The federation took exception to the decision of INTUC and two other central federations to support the offer of core committee of National Joint Committee for Steel Industries for 21% MGB.

As a prelude to the strike, the employees of VSP will take part in 24 hour dharna on December 18.

Mr MK Pandhe president of CITU told reporters that “If 21% MGB is accepted, it will lead to heavy loss for the workers. We want that the steel workers should get on par with the wages given to coal and port industry.”

Mr. Pandhe expressed anguish at lack of unity among the central trade unions and pointed out how INTUC, which has majority voting right in the wage revision talks and two other unions had appended signature to the offer made by the core committee. Mr. Pandhe said the managements were taking advantage of disunity among trade unions and called for united struggle to achieve genuine demands and safeguard the interest of workforce against moves on disinvestment.

(Sourced from BL)