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Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, April 13: Workers of the Matulya Mill will submit a proposal to run the mill as a co-operative following the inability of the mill management to pay their wages.
On Monday, nearly 160 workers of Matulya Mill at Lower Parel forcibly occupied the premises of a private company to express their anger at not being paid for the last five months. According to police sources, the workers entered the premises of Sajjan India Ltd at Matulya Towers, locked the place from inside, and refused to come out till their demands were met. They also threatened self-immolation if the police tried to force them out of the place.
Following this, a meeting was held with office bearers of the Girni Kamgar Sangharsh Samiti, representing the workers, and the mill management. It was also attended by senior police officials. It was decided that workers would be given their dues and convene another meeting between the mill management and the union.
Shiv Sena MP Mohan Rawale, who was present at the meeting, told ExpressNewsline that a meeting was later held between Chief Minister Narayan Rane, Industries Minister Leeladhar Dake, Labour Minister Sabir Sheikh and the mill owner Mafatlal Jain. Jain claimed that since the mill was running at losses, the management would be unable to pay the workers8217; wages. Samiti leader Gayatri Singh then suggested that the workers will run the mill on a co-operative basis and the government would give them equity capital to run it, Rawle said.
