Trade unions stage protest against dismissal of contract workers in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
Leaders and activists of the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Vedika and the CITU have demanded that the authorities concerned, including the RINL-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant management, the Centre and the coalition government in the State, stop the dismissal of contract workers and reinstate the dismissed workers.
Raising slogans against the authorities, the activists participated in a protest (Rasta Roko) from Gandhi Statue at the GVMC office to the RTC complex here on Monday.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, CITU and AITUC district leaders R.K.S.V. Kumar, M. Manmadha Rao and Ch. Narasinga Rao alleged that the Union government has almost completed all efforts to sell the RINL-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, and the first step has been taken with the announcement of the strategic sale of the plant in the Modi 2.0 government itself. However, they said that the plant was saved from privatisation due to strong opposition from Left parties like CPI and CPI(M), and the trade unions.
During the elections, the Jana Sena Party and Telugu Desam Party had made grand promises to save the steel plant if they come to power. But now the parties failed to honour the promises, thereby cheating the workers of the plant and their families and also the people of the city, they alleged.
Police forces were deployed at the protest site of the contract workers of the plant. They have completely taken control of the protest site, said Mr. Kumar.
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