Nagpur, 19 Feb

(HS): The employees of international brand company Raymond at Lohara in Yavatmal,

have launched hunger strike on Wednesday.

The 1,785

workers have launched the strike to protest the delay in finalising the wage

agreement and other demands.

Raymond has

established a unit in Yavatmal in 1990s. The employees had staged agitation in

2010 and 2016-2017 for the wage revision and bonus. The management has removed

some employees during the agitation. Since then there was unrest in the unit.

The management has been projecting reduction in production and down trend in

the market and delaying wage revision.

The last wage

agreement expired on March 31, 2024. However, even after 22 months new

agreement has not been signed. Against the demand of hike of Rs 7,250, the

company has offered hike of Rs 5,000 to be paid in four phases of Rs 250 each

in 2024 and 2025, Rs 1,250 in 2026 and Rs 3,250 in 2027. The workers union has

called the proposal humiliating.

The Raymond

Workers Union has said that peaceful talks with the management failed compelling

the workers to resort to hunger strike from February 18.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar