Beedi workers press Yogish Bhat for immediate gazette notification of wage increment

Mangalore, May 28: Beedi workers under the banner of CITU, DYFI, and SFI demonstrated a sit-in at PVS circle on Monday urging Yogish Bhat, Deputy Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly to press the state government to notify the increment of minimum wage for beedi workers to Rs. 116.20 in the state gazette without any further delay.

The protestors who approached the PVS circle in a procession, had initially planned to lay siege to Mr. Bhat's house.

Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Kumar Bajal, CITU leader, said that from the past four days beedi workers have been on an indefinite strike demanding an increase in the minimum wages as announced by the Chief Minister in the state budget. “Even though two months have passed, the state government has not notified the increase in the wages in the state gazette owing to which the beedi owners are not increasing pay. The government must act upon immediately. If not, we will continue laying siege to houses of MLAs and MPs”, he said.

Admitting that there has been a delay in the government issuing a gazette notification, Mr. Bhat said that he has already spoken to the Chief Minister and that the government would do the needful as soon as possible.

Dayanand Shetty, District Secretary, DYFI, in his address said that elected representatives have been keeping mum on various serious issues of the district including MSEZ mud dumping at Phalguni River near Kuloor and lack of a building at Lady Goschen Hospital. DYFI is with beedi workers in their struggle for increase of their pay, he said.