1980: In the I.A. Kurbetty Tobacco Factory in Nipani (Belgaum district in the state of Karnataka), the clerk denied entry to some women workers for coming in late after the lunch break. The women pleaded that they would compensate for the time lost by working extra hours but the factory owner abused them and refused to let them in. The women sat in protest outside the gate and the news spread like wildfire through the town. About 5000 women work processing tobacco by hand in 79 factories in Nipani. The working conditions in the factories are brutal, pounding tobacco by hand in ill ventilated sheds women inhale tobacco dust constantly. Sixteen hour work days, and as no industrial laws apply, wages flout the minimum wage norm. The majority of women are Dalit and Devdasis, caste based discrimination at work is high.
The news of women sitting in protest was the spark that ignited resentment that had been brewing for a long time. Thousands of women from other factories went on strike and joined the Kurbetti factory women.They consulted Subhash Joshi, a male trade union leader of the Beedi workers Union, and in discussions that went late into the night, they decided to demand a minimum wage of 5 rupees for an 8 hour work day. Women sat striking day and night. People in Nipani town and the villages around gave generously, food grains, vegetables, firewood and a community kitchen was set up on site. Even men cooperated in cooking and looking after children at home. A historic procession of women tobacco workers took place as for the first time 7000 women marched through Nipani town demanding their rights as workers under the Factory Act.
On the fourth day, the labour officer arrived and for the first time in Nipani, Tobacco factory owners sat across the table from women workers and accepted their demands. After the successful resolution of the strike The Chikodi Taluka Kamgar Mahasabha (Union) was formed in 1980, inspiring other women workers in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Deepa Dhanraj 
Nicole Wolf