Pics: Savitha B R
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Feb 8: Seeking enhancement in pension, among others benefits, hundreds of bidi workers affiliated to South Kanara Bidi Workers Federation (CITU) took out a rally in city, here on Tuesday February 8.

The procession was carried out from Town Hall to Head Post office and a demonstration was held in front of the post office in Pandeshwar.

The workers were demanding a minimum pension of Rs 1,500, increase of uniform minimum wages to Rs 100 through out the country, abolish contract and sub-contract system and bring the workers under the principal employers, sufficient quantity of leaf and tobacco to be given to the Bidi rollers and a minimum of 26 days of work in a month with a minimum of 1,000 bidies to be rolled per day.

All the women workers are to be given identity cards in their names. All branded or non-branded bidies should be subjected to excise duty and welfare cess without exemption, including the Bidi workers as persons under BPL category and exemption for bidi industry under anti-smoking law among others.
 
Addressing the protestors, South Kanara Bidi Workers' Federation president J. Balakrishna Shetty said as beedi workers productivity diminishes in the years leading to retirement, the present pension calculation is not scientific and demanded that a minimum of Rs 1,500 should be fixed.
 
Federation secretary Sukumar Thokkottu, CITU state president B Madhava and Treasurer Vilasini Thokkottu among others were present. The protesters handed over the memorandum to the post master which is addressed to the law minister of India.