Bidi-Worker Pay Rise Brings Them Up to 1996 Level

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 05/14/2012

The Beedi and Tobacco Union of Karnataka, which is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), celebrated its 75 anniversary on Wednesday. Inaugurating the celebration, AITUC state committee general secretary, H.V. Anantha Subbarao, commended the way the union had been continuing its fight for the rights of bidi workers. Subbarao said the union had been fighting with the state government since 1996 for a minimum wage for bidi workers. And, recently, the government and bidi factory owners had agreed a minimum wage of Rs116.20. "With our struggle, we will get wages of 1996," he said. We are yet to come to 2012."Enditem