Strike called by jute unions deferred till March 15

Jute sector trade unions in West Bengal have deferred a proposed strike from March 1 by two weeks, as the state government sought more time to look into their demands and resolve the impasse.

At a tripartite meeting on Tuesday in presence of West Bengal Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak, the 21 trade unions decided to postpone the strike to March 15.

Bengal Chatkal Mazdoor Union leader Anadi Sahu told PTI that Ghatak has been urging the unions to call off the strike.

"There has been some progress in talks with the government... we have resolved to defer the strike for two weeks," Sahu said.

All trade unions in the sector, barring Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress, have agreed to join the strike to press for their demands, including wage revision and implementation of Minimum Wages Act.

The jute industry employs over two lakh workers in more than 60 mills in the state.

The West Bengal government had on January 17 decided to give an interim relief of Rs 70, raising the workers' wage to Rs 327 per day till a new wage agreement was finalised.

Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) sources had earlier said mills will not be able to pay anything more than the revised wage of Rs 327 per day.