D.K. Arecanut Processing Workers’ Union at war with DC on minimum wages

04.05.10 Mangalore : The Arecanut Processing Workers, attached to State Hamali Federation and D.K. Headload Workers’ Union, Tuesday May 4th evening converged non-payment of a decent minimum wage to them by Areca Processing factories in D.K. district. Most of these labourers are women, and get a low wage of Rs.100 and seek a higher wage of Rs.130 per day.

The area processing factories are found near the old harbour and streets around the region. They have been employing women mostly, for a lesser wage per day and longer working hours. The union seeks to cut down working hours to 8 and raise their daily wages to Rs.130.

The workers (more women than men) have talked to their paymasters already, but nothing useful emerged from their appeals to the owners of the processing factories which look like cottage industries. The workers union has now asked the DC to instruct the factory owners to fix a higher daily wage to the women workers.

The meeting was presided oven by J. Balakrishna Shetty and General Secretary Sunil Kumar Bajal spoke on the occasion to raise daily wages. Vasant Achar of CITU also spoke. A memorandum was presented to the DC by the leaders. Rafeeq Harekala, Najeer Bengre, Shakuntala, Sulochana and Jaya were present in the gathering of Arecanut processors.