The labour crisis at the Kadayiruppu unit of Synthite Industries ended on Wednesday after the warring Synthite Employees’ Union affiliated to the CITU and the company management reached an agreement at a conciliatory meeting called by Labour Commissioner A. Alexander in Thiruvananthapuram.
The standoff, triggered by what the union had described as “transfer with a mala fide intent” of 17 workers from the spice processing unit to Coimbatore, was resolved when the company management agreed to reverse the transfer of three workers, while four others will be brought back to the Kadayiruppu unit in four months. The remaining 10 will be recalled to the unit in the next one-and-a-half years, according them priority in vacancies arising from retirements.
Of the 10 workers placed under suspension in connection with the agitation, two will have to remain on suspension for a month, while the rest will be able to resume duty after giving sufficient explanation. But internal inquiry against them will continue. A referendum of trade unions at the unit will soon be held in the presence of the Regional Joint Labour Commissioner K. Sreelal in which all transferred workers will have voting rights. It was also decided at the conciliatory meeting that all transferred employees would be entitled to free accommodation and food.
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CITU State secretary K.N. Gopinath said the agitation was triggered by the management’s refusal to honour an agreement on the transfer of seven workers arrived at a meeting in the presence of the Labour Commissioner over a month ago. “But today’s agreement holds good for all,” he added.
Besides Mr. Gopinath, CITU national secretary K. Chandran Pillai and Synthite Employees’ Union leader Arun Kumar represented the union, while the management was represented by director Aju Jacob, John Joshy, and Vincent Alex.