Despite the nod of Union Steel Secretary to the new wage pact for the workers of different units of SAIl, including the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), the workers are still in the dark about the disbursement of their arrears.
That is why while many unions are in a mood to go for a strike and have urged the RSP authorities for early disbursement of arrears to the workers as it is already too late.At any moment, the recognition election for RSP may be declared as the membership verification process is already on after the direction of Odisha High Court. So, the trade unions are busy appeasing the workers through the wage pact.
While the NJCS member unions are trying to take the credit of new wage pact, the non-NJCS members are accusing the NJCS member unions of being responsible for a delay in the signing of the wage pact after more than two and a half years.Despite this many trade unions do not forget to take the blessing of certain elected representatives of the district by felicitating them.
While Rourkela Mazdoor Sabha (RMS), an affiliated body of Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), is busy for a felicitation ceremony for Raghunathpali MlA Subrat Tarai at its office at Sector-6, the Rourkela Ispat Karakhana Karmachari Sangh (RIKKS) and other affiliated unions of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) are preparing to felicitate Union Tribal Welfare Minister and Sundargarh MP Jual Oram at its office at Sector-3.
Similarly, the Rourkela Shramik Sangh (RSS) of the Panikar group has already inclined towards Rourkela MlA Dilip Ray.Though RMS always claims it has no link with any political party but it is always inclined towards the BJD. Even during election campaign, the BJD MlA and MP candidates had held meetings in the RMS office.
Similarly, for Dilip Ray, Jual Oram and Hemanada Biswal, the election meetings were held in offices of RSS Panikar group, BMS and RSS Prashanta Behera group.Though leaders justify the direct involvement and rallying of their unions behind the political party candidates but many workers still do not accept it.
So time will prove in coming recognition election who is getting benefit out of their political affiliation.