The ongoing agitation in Visakhapatnam steel plant took a serious turn on Thursday with the labour unions serving notice on the management stating that they would go on an indefinite strike from any day after March 25, in protest against the Central government’s decision to privatise the steel plant.
The 14-day notice was served on chairman and managing director of RINL P K Rath, by Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Samithi.
“We propose to call a strike on or after March 25, 2021 for the reasons mentioned in the notice,” the trade union leaders said.
The JAC demanded repeal of the approval accorded on January 27, 2021 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for 100 per cent strategic sale of the RINL and scrapping of the inter-ministerial group constituted to study the strategic sale.
The trade unions also demanded scrapping of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with South Korean steel major POSCO on October 23, 2019, for floating a joint venture company for construction of an integrated steel plant in the RINL lands.
The other demands of the unions include suspension of the recently concluded Memorandum of Understanding with National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) India Ltd for redevelopment and monetisation of land parcels of the steel plant located at Maddilapalem in Visakhapatnam city and provision of permanent employment to rehabilitation card holders.
The employees were jubilant over the response they were getting from all parts of the country. On Thursday, they performed milk bath to the portrait of Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president and state industries minister K T Rama Rao, extending solidarity with their agitation.
They also thanked megastar Chiranjeevi for extending support to their agitation against privatisation of the steel plant.