Jagi Road employees get their wages; Cachar paper mill still deprived. Why this discrimination?

Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited runs two paper mills in Assam, one in Jagi Road Nagoan and the other one, Cachar Paper Mill in Panchgram. Employees of both the mills are going through a torrid time as they have not got their salaries for more than a year, and that’s something known to everyone.

On March 31, three months’ salary was released, and the administration assured the employees that it will clear all dues in installment. But the contractual workers were not among the ones, who received their three-month’s wages on March 31. Instead, on the same day, the administration issued a notice and asked contractual workers to not report to their duties any further.

The workers are still eagerly waiting for the first disbursement of their wages. On April 13, 2018 contractual employees of Jagi road paper mill received one month’s salary while Cachar Paper Mill employees are yet to receive any money. That has irked the 400 plus contractual workers of Cachar Paper Mill. “It’s a positive development that they received one month’s salary but why are we being deprived; why is management being partial to us?” questions Surajit Ghosh, CITU leader.

The contractual workers feel that they have become victim of communal disparity. They have accused the administration of being biased towards a particular community. “We have not received salaries since last 19 months, Jagi Road employees are awaiting their wages since last 13 months, if management had to choose one of the two they should have given the preference to us,” says a senior union leader.

Surajit Ghosh further states that this discrimination has made all employees angry and it can even turn violent. Tomorrow, the contractual workers plan to demonstrate in front of the mill’s gate and from April 23, 2018, will go on an indefinite hunger strike. “We have informed the local administration, intimated the Chief Minister and others through letters. We deserve our wages and the administration must not play with our basic needs,” says Choudhury.

The administration on the other hand has already assured the contractual workers that they will receive their three-month’s wages before April 30. On asked about paying Jagi road employees before Cachar, they decided to keep mum.