Unrest spreads

Press, 26 May 1977, Page 8

Unrest spreads

NZPA New Delhi At least 15,000 workers at industrial sites in Bombay were on strike yesterday and more were expected to come out as labour unrest continued in many parts of India. The unrest follows the lifting of the emergency regulations by the new JaI nata Party Government. Officials say that the labour 'force is taking advantage of its new-found freedom and believes the situation is bound to settle down soon. Reports said that strikers in Bombay included pharmaceutical firms like Glaxo Laboratories and Johnson and Johnson. In most cases workers were demanding better wages and conditions.

Some strikes were on the issue of victimisation of trade unionists. Bombay has also witnessed a series of marches by striking workers although no violence has been reported. The 11-day strike by about 5000 Bombay dockworkers was settled last week after the personal intervention of the Prime Minister (Mr Morarji Desai). The unions were said to have complained to the Government about the obstinacy of company directors at big firms on wage hikes while they themselves lived in regal splendour. One European director of a drug firm was said to be maintaining 22 dogs, and feeding them lavishly, while company workers got less than living wages. I