Nearly 90 per cent of engineering and manufacturing companies in Coimbatore have reached bonus agreements this year.
U.K. Vellingiri, president of the Coimbatore District General Engineering and Mechanical Workers’ Union (CITU), said that most of the companies had agreed to pay the same bonus as last year. A couple of industries had disbursed slightly higher amount.
Though the industries were facing slowdown in orders, it had not affected bonus disbursements so far in the small, medium and larger units.
Talks were expected to conclude by next Tuesday in almost all the units. However, talks were not reaching an agreement stage in four or five.
Workers might resort to direct action if agreements were not reached by October 28, he said.
The State Government should intervene and ensure that there was no problem in bonus disbursement in any unit, he added.
The Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Micro Entrepreneurs has appealed to the State Government to provide interest-free loan of Rs. 1 lakh for the festival season to micro units that have registered with the District Industries’ Centre.
This will help bonus disbursement in the sector. The units are struggling to pay the monthly wages because of drop in orders and financial problems, according to its president J. James.
