Trade unions oppose Posco

VISAKHAPATNAM: Setting aside their differences, all trade unions are gearing up to jointly fight against the Union government’s proposal to bring Posco, a South Korean steel factory to Visakhapatnam for a joint venture with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL). The trade unions have decided to unitedly fight against the move with an agitation that they have named “Go Back Posco.”

The South Korean steel-making company Posco has expressed its interest to establish its company in India. The Central government suggested to the Posco management to join hands with RINL to further strengthen RINL with this joint venture. In fact, the Andhra Pradesh government has urged the Centre to suggest to Posco to establish the steel factory in Kadapa.

RINL, the flagship company of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has over 20,000 acres of land and is presently producing 7.3 MT of steel and is poised to produce 11.5 MT of steel by 2021. Meanwhile, the company had invested huge extent of its surplus and internal funds for expansion works recently.

However, the Centre is not even looking at other areas including Kadapa. In fact the Centre is making its trials to set up a joint venture with the Korean company and asking the RINL to allot 4,000 acres of its land to the Korean company.

“Earlier, the farmers and other families in view of future benefits, had vacated their villages and given their lands to RINL. How can we agree to a private company stepping in with RINL? It is a meaningless proposal and it is very clear that BJP government is trying to privatise the RINL with vested interests. As a recognised trade union affiliated to CITU, we will never accept this proposal and fight against the Centre’s proposal,” J. Ayodhyaramu, president of RINL’s recognised trade union said.

“As a trade union, we have some policy differences with each other. But we will together fight against such a proposal. There are several areas in the state if Centre wishes to set up another company. Why adjacent to RINL and in its lands?,” Mr Ayodhyaramu asked.

Meanwhile, the CPI started its fight against the proposal demanding that the government should not entertain such trials. “What is this proposal? It is nothing but privatisation of the RINL. BJP government is trying to privatise the RINL in the name of a joint venture. The RINL is Andhra Pradesh’s branded factory. How can we lose it? As many as 32 people lost their lives for this factory,” CPI state assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murty said at a protest programme held in the city.