’Hire mill workers in buildings on mill land’

Unions claim they deserve employment as housekeepers and security guards in housing societies built on former mill land, protest against 'prejudice' of residents

'Hire mill workers in buildings on mill land'

Unions claim they deserve employment as housekeepers and security guards in housing societies built on former mill land, protest against 'prejudice' of residents

If you are planning to buy a house in a building that has been constructed on what was once mill land, here's a word of caution.

Mill workers protest outside Dosti Flamingos, built on the China Mill compound in Sewri, yesterday

Mill unions are obliquely asserting their ownership of the land that once earned them their bread and butter.

And the residents of such buildings, under whose employment they work, are at the receiving end of their firm demands.

Dosti Flamingos, built on the China Mill compound in Sewri, was the first to face their ire yesterday. Nearly 500 mill workers protested outside the building after 36 workers were sacked from their housekeeping jobs.

Apparently, the 500-odd flat owners, who have shelled out crores to buy houses, find them incompetent and aged.

The irked mill unions, allegedly, barged into the society and slapped the new housekeeping staff. MiD DAY had earlier reported ('You can't choose your own guard here', February 13) about the residents' lack of choice.

Fearing harassment, the residents refused to take any names. "We pay Rs 1.8 crore annually for over 110 security guards and nearly 40 housekeepers.

Of them 65 are mill workers, most of whom are over 50 years and incapable of doing their job properly," said a member of the managing committee of the society.

"A few months ago we decided to hire a new contractor who retained four mill workers after shuffling the earlier housekeeping staff. This irked the mill union and they started protesting," he said.

Another resident claimed that despite the heavy cost of security, robberies happen at the building.

"Neighbours laugh at the 110 security guards we have who are unable to prevent thefts in our society. They let in any one and do not check for identity," he said.

Legally speaking

The society members claim the mill workers threaten them with legalities.

They say that the state appointed monitoring committee that looks into the redevelopment and sales of the mill land had passed a law that reads mill workers should be given a job during the redevelopment of the building.

Probed specifically about the rule, Harinath Tiwari, union leader of Girni Kamgar Karmachari Nivara ani Kalyankari Sangh, said, "The society is not bound to give mill workers a job.
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But they should do it because millers have been working in the complex for a very long time, doing the work diligently."

However, the mill workers claim that the society is prejudiced against them. "As per the rules, mill workers are supposed to get work after redevelopment. The allegations made by the residents are baseless.
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We are hard-working people who lost their livelihood after the mills shut down," Tiwari said.

But a resident rubbished this, saying, "We aren't against mill workers. But when we pay so much, shouldn't we have the right to decide on the people who work with us?"

No warning

The residents said that the builder didn't tell them about the problem when the building was handed over to them, and that they have complained about it.

To this, Rajesh Shah, executive director, Dosti Group, said, "The matter is sub judice and is with the monitoring committee.
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The monitoring committee's direction is that mill workers should be kept till the time the construction is on and we did that.
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But now, the society belongs to the residents. We are awaiting a direction from the committee."