AP Paper Mill Workers Call Off Strike, Management Lifts Lockout

The AP Paper Mills management has agreed to lift the lockout and the workers called off their strike following mediation on Thursday by the district collector, SP and labour department officials.

The workers agreed to resume work immediately, starting with the night shift at 10 pm. They were on strike for the past 23 days, seeking a new wage agreement. The term of the old agreement ended by June 30, 2020 and a renewal had not been done.

The unions of 2,800 workers gave the strike notice on March 26. They struck work from April 2.

Though Eluru joint labour commissioner A Rani called a meeting to sort out the issues, the management refused to participate. On Wednesday, the management declared a lockout.

Collector Madhavi Latha and SP Jagadish took exception to the attitudes of the workers and management. They convened a meeting with the workers and management representatives on Thursday and asked the workers to call off the strike and join duties unconditionally.

They directed the management to sort out the workers’ problems after the situation returned to normal.

Madhavi Latha said the government supported the unions’ demands till now. But, during the election period, they should not cause law and order problems. The workers should bring the production to normal level within 20 to 25 days and the management should talk to the workers and sign a new wage agreement, she stressed.

SP Jagadish said the workers and management should maintain peace and cooperate with the election officials for fair and smooth elections. Otherwise, stringent action would be taken against the errant.

Joint labour commissioner Rani, assistant labour commissioner Vali, DSP Ramakrishna, mill management representatives V Srinivas, G Ganesh, Vijaya Kumar, CITU leader Venkateswara Rao, AITUC leader leader Satyanarayana, INTUC leader Dasu, staff workers association leaders Rajesh, Ramakrsihna and others were present.