Workers of the rotor blade manufacturing unit (RBU) of Suzlon Energy Ltd. continued their dharna against the lockout declared by the company at the entrance of the Suzlon Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Nadsal near Padubidri for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. The fate of nearly 500 workers, including 326 permanent workers, is in limbo after the rotor blade unit declared a lockout and suspended its operations. The company had said that the unruly action of certain workers had hindered the smooth operation of the RBU and severely impacted production compelling it to suspend operations despite several attempts at resolving the matter peacefully.
Meanwhile, the workers got support from the local unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and also listed a set of demands. They said that they wanted the RBU to re-start is operations and to reinstate all the workers. The company should recognise the new committee of workers and hold talks with it.
The salaries of all workers should be revised and be on par with that given in other rotor blade manufacturing units. The workers operating in night shifts should be given additional allowance. The company should bear their medical expenses to the tune of ₹5 lakh in addition to the ESI facility. Those workers suffering from health ailments should be given compensation and the company should withdraw cases registered against six workers. The dharna will continue till all these demands are met, they said.
Rakesh Malli, president of State unit of INTUC, Ganesh Kotian, president of Udupi district unit, Dheeraj, vice-president, Manohar Shetty, and others were present at the dharna.
‘Report sent’
Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis told The Hindu that an officer or a team from the office of the SEZ Development Commissioner based at Kochi, Kerala, will visit the Suzlon SEZ at Padubidri and enquire into the matter on Thursday. She had sent a written report on the entire incident at the RBU to the Labour Secretary, Government of Karnataka and the Development Commissioner, SEZ, Kochi, Ms. Francis said. Suzlon SEZ is located on 641 acres of land near Padubidri. There are two other units in the SEZ in addition to the RBU.
