Salt corporation workers launch indefinite strike

Demand payment of balance 10% bonus announced for 2018

February 07, 2019 07:58 am | Updated 08:06 am IST - Ramanathapuram

Miffed:  Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation workers staging a demonstration in Valinokkam in Ramanathapuram district on Wednesday.

Miffed: Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation workers staging a demonstration in Valinokkam in Ramanathapuram district on Wednesday.

Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation (TNSC) workers launched an indefinite strike on Wednesday demanding payment of balance of 10% bonus announced for the year 2018.

A day after the talks with the District Labour Officer failed, the about 1,400 workers struck work and staged a demonstration in front of the TNSC office at Valinokkam, demanding that the corporation pay the balance of bonus immediately and avoid labour unrest.

When the workers launched an indefinite strike on November 1, 2018, demanding 20% bonus, the management had paid 10% bonus and promised to pay the balance before Pongal festival.

The workers ended the 19-day strike after reaching an understanding but the management failed to clear the balance, forcing them to resume the strike, K. Pachammal, president of the workers’ federation, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said.

‘Served notice twice’

He said the federation had served strike notice twice to the management but it failed to call them for talks. When the District Labour Officer held talks with the representatives of the management and the workers here on Tuesday, the management said the remaining 10% of bonus could be paid only after the approval of the board. Disagreeing to this, Mr. Pachammal said the TNSC had been paying 20% bonus for the last two years and the issue had nothing to do with the board. The strike, if continued, would hit production of Double Fortified Salt (DFS), packing, loading and transportation of DFS and recovery of salt from the 200 odd salt panes. M. Sivaji, CITU district secretary, who led the protest, said the management should pay the remaining 10% bonus soon and avoid production loss in the coming days.

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