Hold union elections, demand Sirpur Paper Mill workers

Kagaznagar: SPM Permanent and Casual Workers Union have demanded fully reinstate local workers into employment and don’t discriminate between the local and migrant workers give them equal salaries.

Arshad Hussain, honorary president, and Eerla Satish Kumar, general secretary of the SPM Permanent and Casual Workers Union, have urged that union elections be conducted at the Sirpur Paper Mill in Kagaznagar town.

On Wednesday, they submitted the union’s annual returns and related documents to Adilabad Labour department senior assistant, Harikrishna.

Speaking on the occasion, they stated that although seven years have passed since the reopening of the paper mill in 2018, the management has failed to fully reinstate local workers into employment.

They alleged that jobs are being given to individuals from other States, thereby severely disadvantaging the local workforce. They expressed concern over wage disparities, claiming that local workers are being paid less while workers from other States are receiving higher wages for the same roles. Furthermore, they criticized the management for not conducting union recognition elections, which they say has allowed the administration to act arbitrarily towards workers.

They also alleged that workers who question management decisions are being suspended and harassed. They demanded that immediate elections be held to recognize the workers’ union in order to safeguard workers’ rights.