SURAT: The sugarcane harvesters in the districts of South Gujarat are set to go on strike from February 28 over various demands including hike in wages. The sugarcane harvesters, most of them being tribals, have given a call for an indefinite strike under the banner of Majoor Adhikar Manch, a state level trade union in Gujarat.
“There are around 2 lakh workers, almost all of them being tribals, in sugarcane harvesting in around 15 sugarcane factories in South Gujarat. Majur Adhikar Manch has been organizing the sugarcane harvesting workers. It has undertaken mapping exercises and held meetings at both source and destination where workers harvest sugarcane,” said Sudhir Katiyar, an advisor to Majoor Adhikar Manch.
According to Katiyar, sugarcane workers come from a vast hinterland spread over 12 districts of three states. The exploitation of sugarcane workers is going on and their working conditions have not improved. “We have sent a list of demands to sugar factory owners, state level federation and labour department,’’ he said.
Trade union leader Jayesh Gamit said, “Sugarcane workers are demanding a hike in wages of Rs 400 per tonne which, according to union leaders, is Rs 250 at present. It takes almost 12 to 14 hours for two labourers to cut one tonne of sugarcane. It’s a job full of hardships.”
Sugarcane has emerged as a major crop of the region because of cheap availability of water. The development of sugarcane farming and setting up of sugar factories to process the sugarcane have followed the Maharashtra cooperative model. Every year, almost two lakh tribal workers migrate from the districts of Dang and Tapi in Gujarat and Dhule and Nandurbar in Maharashtra. Dang accounts for almost 40% of the total workforce.
According to an estimate, South Gujarat produces over 85 lakh tonnes of sugarcane per year.
“There are around 2 lakh workers, almost all of them being tribals, in sugarcane harvesting in around 15 sugarcane factories in South Gujarat. Majur Adhikar Manch has been organizing the sugarcane harvesting workers. It has undertaken mapping exercises and held meetings at both source and destination where workers harvest sugarcane,” said Sudhir Katiyar, an advisor to Majoor Adhikar Manch.
According to Katiyar, sugarcane workers come from a vast hinterland spread over 12 districts of three states. The exploitation of sugarcane workers is going on and their working conditions have not improved. “We have sent a list of demands to sugar factory owners, state level federation and labour department,’’ he said.
Trade union leader Jayesh Gamit said, “Sugarcane workers are demanding a hike in wages of Rs 400 per tonne which, according to union leaders, is Rs 250 at present. It takes almost 12 to 14 hours for two labourers to cut one tonne of sugarcane. It’s a job full of hardships.”
Sugarcane has emerged as a major crop of the region because of cheap availability of water. The development of sugarcane farming and setting up of sugar factories to process the sugarcane have followed the Maharashtra cooperative model. Every year, almost two lakh tribal workers migrate from the districts of Dang and Tapi in Gujarat and Dhule and Nandurbar in Maharashtra. Dang accounts for almost 40% of the total workforce.
According to an estimate, South Gujarat produces over 85 lakh tonnes of sugarcane per year.
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