Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Mar 6: Members of South Kanara Beedi Workers Federation under the baton of its president P Sanjeeva, treasurer V S Berinja and secretary S Chandappa Anchan, staged a 'company chalo' protest in front of Parbudas Kishordas Tobacco Products Pvt Ltd also popularly called Telephone Beedi company here on Wednesday, March 5.

The major grievance of the protesting beedi workers was that the company owners were duping them by taking their signatures on receipts and paying them less than their due. As a spontaneous outburst the demonstrators shouted slogans against the owners and demanded that they follow the earlier verdict of the high court and not make any illegal reduction in the payment of their salaries.

Some of the protesters alleged that according to the high court order, beedi company owners have to pay a sum of Rs 4,500 which is supposedly due from 1996. However after deducting 20% for provident fund, the workers will only get Rs 3,664. 

In this context the workers' ire is directed at the Telephone Beedi company management which they aver is cheating the workers by again deducting around 15 to 20% from the said Rs. 3664, without the knowledge of the workers, by taking signatures from them in token of their having received full payment.    

Some of them stated that when they urged the owners to provide the full amount due to them, they were flatly refused. They reiterated, 'All the labourers are eligible for full amount, which we should be paid. This kind of injustice should not be meted on us,' they pleaded.

Moreover they expressed their fears by inferring that some of the Gujarat-based beedi companies too have taken a cue from Telephone company and joined with the latter in this illegal activity. If this continues all other beedi companies too will join hands and indulge in cheating workers in a similar manner, they alleged.

However, there was an amicable solution in the end, with the protest being withdrawn after the company owner pacified them and agreed to respond to the demands of the workers by finding a solution to the matter in a week.