KANNIYAKUMARI: The duration of the Arasu Rubber Corporation workers’ indefinite strike seeking a wage hike is set to cross a month on Wednesday, and still, no favourable action has been taken by the authorities. “In August, corporation officials, in the presence of three ministers and labour department officials in Chennai, agreed to pay Rs 40 in addition to Rs 500 daily wage to workers.
The agreement was to pay this amount from December 2019 to November 2022, as arrears. With the authorities not implementing the wage hike even until the first week of November, the employees began the indefinite strike on November 7,” CITU District Estate Workers Union general secretary M Valsakumar told TNIE.
Arasu Rubber Corporation is a state government company functioning under the aegis of the department of environment and forests. Its office is in Nagercoil and it has a factory in Keeriparai. The corporation’s plantations are in four divisions Keeriparai, Manalodai, Chithar and Kodayar in Kanniyakumari district.
The corporation was launched to provide employment to local residents and also repatriates from Sri Lanka. A total of 3,985.694 hectares in the district is covered by rubber trees, and the corporation produces around 1,500 tonnes of natural rubber every year.
The indefinite strike has the participation of tapping employees, manual workers, factory workers and watchers. LPF state deputy secretary V Elango said over 1,500 workers are involved in the strike. “A round-the-clock protest is also underway in front of the Keeriparai factory. Various employees’ unions and political parties have extended their support for the protest,” he added.
When contacted, an Arasu Rubber Corporation official said representatives of the trade unions were invited for a discussion at Nagercoil on Monday to resolve the issue.