November 28

Salem Steel Plant workers went up in arms again today condemning the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) board approving decision to seek Expression of Interest an essential process in floating global tender for se ll ing the shares of the company.

Even as the Steel Ministry and SAI Board took the privatization process another step nearer to completion, members of the Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions held demonstration in front of the main gate of Salem Steel Plant. On November 9, SAI Board gave nod for the decision to seek Expression of Interest which is a vital step before calling for global tender.

The agitating workers said that ever since the privatization process was set in motion, they had taken up the issue with the leaders of political parties and trade unions. Reasons why the pant should not be disinvested was convincingly explained to the leaders who had conveyed the same to the government. Several protests have been held by the workers in a past several months. The decision to seek Expression of Interest has upset them thoroughly as SAIL and the Ministry of Steel seem unconvinced to drop the privatization move on the face of stiff opposition from several political parties.

According to G.Perumal the Coordinator, Joint Action Committee, Salem Steel Pant had been registering profits at the operation level in the last three months although, the unit was deprived of adequate inputs after the privatization move was initiated. This ground reality is not being considered by the SAI Board and the Steel Ministry.

In today’s protest Rajenderan of LPF trade union, Iango of BMS, Rajive Nair of INTUC ed their respective members.

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