Cuddalore, 23 June 2006: CUSECS workers have succeeded in winning 6 out of 12 demands after a meeting with SIPCOT officials held in the presence of the District Revenue Officer to resolve a strike launched by the workers following the death of their coworker K. Kathavarayan due to cancer. CUSECS workers say the unsafe working conditions and the toxic pollution from the common effluent collection and forwarding stations operated by CUSECS was the cause of the worker’s illness.
The workers went into the meeting with 12 demands; discussions on six demands are pending. Meanwhile, CUSECS pumping stations started operating from 10 pm on 13 June.
The 6 demands that have been met include:
- Infrastructural changes in the CUSECS – Provision of piped drinking water connection
- Provision of telephone lines
- Provision of safety equipment like helmets, shoes, gloves, goggles etc
- Identity cards for the employees
- Provision for First Aid in case of an emergency
- Monthly medical check up for all the 25 workers of CUSECS
A CUSECS worker said TANFAC (a local industry) will arrange for routine check-up of health with doctors at Krishna Hospital in Cuddalore. CUSECS has also agreed to pay compensation to the family of the deceased on humanitarian grounds.
The remaining demands of the workers include:
- Compensation for the family of deceased
- Job for one member of the affected family
- Employees State Insurance cover for the entire CUSECS work force
- Provident Fund and Insurance for CUSECS workers
- Salary increment for the workers
- Regularising of jobs from contract to permanent positions for CUSECS workers
A meeting to address these demands has been postponed by the industry twice till date.
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