Since Sep 1990 there had been disturbing reports of industrial tension from the industrial township of Bhilai in Madhya Pradesh. Allegation of victimisation and repression of workers and trade unions on one hand, and counter allegation of “terror tactics of the trade union mafia” on the other had been making their way into the media. The culmination of this in the mass arrest of workers, and the arrest of the trade union leader Shankar Guha Niyogi on 4th February 1991 finally prompted the PUDR to send a team to investigate the situation Bhilai.
The team members visited the Durg-Bhilai region and met lawyers, academicians and engineers, workers in different factories, various trade union leaders; owners and management of different factories; government officials such as the Deputy Commissoner, Superintendent of Police, the Assistant Labour Commissoner, the Deputy Director Industries etc.
The team’s attempt was to investigate the the working and living conditions of workers of Durg-Bhillai, the implementation of various labour legislations and their alleged violation, as also the genesis and building-up of present industrial tensions.
To download the report, click below:
Tall Chimneys Dark Shadows: A Report on the Lives and Struggle of Workers in Bhilai
