Mysore/Mysuru: The indefinite stir launched by contract employees of Government-run silk Factory on Manandavadi Road in city, under the banner of Silk Weaving Factory Employees Union, gained  steam on the third day today, as a number of employees of T. Narasipur Silk Weaving Unit, joined the stir in support.

Contract employees of the silk weaving factory are on stir since Saturday (excluding Sunday), seeking fulfilment of their demands, which chiefly included regularisation of employees who were appointed on compassionate grounds, hike in wages and payment of wage dues for the lockdown period, among others.

Claiming that the Factory authorities had not honoured a Court order asking the factory to appoint one member of the families of 48 employees who died while in service, on compassionate grounds, they urged for immediate appointment on regular basis. Alleging that contract workers are being underpaid, they demanded a wage hike in accordance with the general rule of ‘equal pay for equal work’ and also job security.

Meanwhile, the contract employees who had staged stir inside the factory premises on Saturday and Monday, were asked to shift outside, with the Factory authorities closing the gate for them this morning. As such, the protesters were forced to stage stir outside, with the ever-busy Manandavadi Road running along the factory compound. As the protesters covered almost half of the road, vehicular movement on the Highway was severely disrupted, when the Police intervened and asked the protesters to move onto the footpath, to which the protesters agreed after an argument, it is learnt.

Sri Urilinga Peddi Mutt Seer Sri Jnanaprakash Swamiji and former Dy. Mayor Shailendra took part in the stir as a show of solidarity with the striking contract workers. Trade Union leader Anil Kumar was also present.