Kagaznagar: Workers from the Sirpur Paper Mill (SPM) are asking the management to give local workers their jobs back and to treat all employees equally, whether they are from the local area or from other states. They want everyone to receive the same salary for doing the same kind of work.
Arshad Hussain, the honorary president, and Eerla Satish Kumar, the general secretary of the SPM Permanent and Casual Workers Union, also asked that union elections be held at the paper mill. This would help workers have a voice and protect their rights.
On Wednesday, the union leaders handed over their annual reports and other documents to Harikrishna, a senior assistant in the Adilabad Labour Department.
They pointed out that the paper mill reopened in 2018, but even after seven years, many local workers have not been given their jobs back. Instead, the company is hiring people from other states, which is making things difficult for the local workforce.
The union leaders also said that local workers are being paid less than those from other states, even when they are doing the same jobs. They criticized the management for not holding union elections, which they believe has led to unfair treatment of workers.
They further claimed that workers who speak up against the management are being suspended and harassed. The union is now demanding that elections be held immediately so the workers can choose their representatives and protect their rights.
