§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that 75,000 jute workers are now on strike in India and that this may lead to a general strike in the jute industry; whether trade union leaders have been arrested or externed from the strike area; and whether he will state the wages of jute workers and the nature of the demand of the strikers?
§ Mr. ButlerI understand that between 55,000 and 60,000 workers are involved in this strike, which is at present limited to certain mills south of Calcutta. The strikers are almost entirely unorganised, but a trade union is reported to have been formed recently in the Budge Budge2578W area where the strike began. Two persons described as Labour leaders from Calcutta were arrested on 5th March for alleged intimidation of workers who refused to strike, and since that date an order has been issued prohibiting the secretary of the newly-formed union and certain others described as Labour leaders from entering the area under the control of Budge Budge police station. The scale of wages averages Rs.20 per mensem, but is not uniform and varies considerably for different classes of workers. The strike began with the dismissal of workers for short returns. The strikers' present demands include reinstatement of dismissed workers, restoration of a wage cut made in 1932, no victimisation and recognition of the union at Budge Budge.