Unable to arrive at a consensus on wage revision and related issues, the five-decade-old Kirloskar Electric Company (KEC) suspended its operations from Tuesday, resulting in over 250 employees beginning an indefinite agitation.
Their main grouse: even 30 months after the expiry of the earlier wage agreement, the management failed to ensure a consensual wage agreement. However, the management, in its notice on ‘temporary suspension of operations’, had maintained that despite being under loss it had offered a fair wage settlement to the employees.
The wrangling over the new wage agreement between the employees and the company had been on for some time and after having waited patiently for nearly 30 months for an amicable settlement, the workers had become impatient.
The protesters went on indefinite strike after the company issued a notice on ‘temporary suspension of operations’. They told The Hindu that they had extended all necessary cooperation for arriving at a consensus wage settlement and even had continued to work in the factory even though the management had failed to provide them safety gear. They said since the last nine months their salaries were not being paid at the right time and they were forced to wait till month-end for it.
They also said their counterparts in other units of KEC were being paid more in spite of the fact that the Hubli unit was earning good revenue when compared to other units.
General secretary of the employees union K.C. Paul said the management had approached the Assistant Labour Commissioner, and based on his direction, they would decide on the next course of action.
Meanwhile, employees sitting on dharna said they were ready to work if the company provided them the safety gear immediately and promised to take steps to arrive at a fair wage agreement.
