Trade union leaders stage satyagraha outside Madhyamam office
Protesters demand steps to resolve the employees’ indefinite strike, which began on September 3. Unions allege that salary arrears are entering their ninth month, with permanent staff receiving only a nominal portion of their February pay.
A protest outside the Madhyamam daily’s office in Kozhikode on October 31.
Central and State-level trade union leaders staged a satyagraha in front of the Madhyamam daily’s headquarters in Kozhikode on Saturday (October 31) under the banner of the Joint Trade Union Committee, in protest against the management’s failure to resolve the employees’ indefinite strike, which has been continuing for two months.
The protest comes amid mounting salary arrears, which are entering their ninth month.
The indefinite strike was launched on September 3 under the aegis of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and the Kerala Newspaper Employees’ Federation, with the support of the Joint Trade Union Coordination Committee. The unions have alleged that both the management and the government have remained indifferent to the ongoing agitation.
According to the unions, the management has been paying contractual employees their salaries regularly while deliberately withholding the dues of permanent employees to compel them to either accept contractual employment or resign. Even as October drew to a close, permanent staff have received only a nominal portion of their February salary, they alleged.
The satyagraha was inaugurated by CITU general secretary Elamaram Kareem.
- union
- trade
- satyagraha
- madhyamam
- office
- leader
- protester
- step
