Bokaro: The workers’ union of JMM will carry out a mass awareness campaign and stage protests on May 12 against the alleged plans of Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) to cut down its contractual workforce in the next two years. Even as the officials of BSL and the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) refrained from making any statements, a purported letter outlining the plan to reduce the contract workforce at BSL is widely getting circulated. Jai Jharkhand Mazdoor Samaj (JJMS), the workers’ wing of JMM, said it will roll out a mass awareness campaign from Thursday, which will culminate in a protest march on May 12. “JJMS stood as a shield for labourers when their livelihoods were threatened in the past. Any attempts to destabilise BSL under the pretext of rationalisation will be resisted. If required, workers will resort to a complete shutdown of the plant,”JJMS general secretary B K Chaudhary said. Contractual workers claimed over 5,000 people will lose their jobs if the decision is implemented. Notably, BSL had 12,798 contractual workers as on April 1, 2025. Their numbers dipped to around 10,230 by April this year. Union representatives maintained that a large proportion of the contract workforce comprises local residents, including those from displaced and marginalised communities who have historically depended on the plant for their livelihood. Chief of communication, BSL, Manikant Dhan, refused to comment on the matter.