Vijayamohini Mills workers demand reopening and wages

Employees of Vijayamohini Mills are calling for its reopening, five years after it closed due to COVID-19. The mill, located in Thiruvananthapuram, is one of 23 spinning mills owned by the National Textile Corporation (NTC). Workers held a protest over the weekend to demand the mill’s reopening and the payment of unpaid wages. The mill has been closed since the pandemic began. It was briefly reopened for 45 days in 2021 but has remained shut since then. Many workers, especially temporary staff, have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet, according to union leaders. The NTC took over Vijayamohini Mills in 1973, and the mill previously provided stable jobs for many local families. Union representatives say that policies from the NTC have negatively impacted the mill. They stress that the mill was profitable before it was closed. Various trade unions are united in their call for the mill's reopening. The protest was marked by speeches from leaders of different unions and political parties throughout the weekend.