The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Rubber unit declares lockout

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 26, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Rubber unit declares lockout

By Our Staff reporter

PATANCHERU, NOV. 25. Protesting against non-payment of salaries, 26 employees of the Patancheru-based Agarwal Rubber Private Limited, have refused to come out of the factory premises since Monday night.

Fellow workers have been sending them food and water. Trouble began when the 450-strong employees' union sensed that the management might resort to lock out. The 26 workers, who remained inside the factory, were on the night shift on Monday.

The workers refused to come out even on Tuesday, the factory's weekly off. They waited for Wednesday morning shift crew to arrive, but the factory management locked the doors and did not allow them inside. By 3 p.m., the factory announced a lockout as anticipated by workers.

Tool-down strike

According to the general secretary of the employees' union, Venugopal Reddy, employees were already on a tool-down strike demanding payment of arrears.

He alleged that the employees were forced by the management to sign on individual productivity undertakings against the labour rules. He said that the struggle would continue and the workers would remain inside the factory and continue their protest.

The Director of the unit, Amit Kumar Agarwal, agreed that the company had to pay only 10 per cent of the monthly salary but there was nothing wrong in asking for improved productivity. He alleged that some workers had been damaging the company's property and production was stalled due to the strike. The management sought police intervention but said that they would not force the workers out.

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