The State government would urgently intervene and take steps to resolve the labour dispute at the English Indian Clays Ltd. (EICL), Minister for Cooperation Kadakampally Surendran said after holding talks with the employees on Saturday.
The Minister, who met the employees, was critical of the EICL management’s stand on the lockout. He said the management was being unfair to the employees. The Minister he would take up the issue with Labour Minister T. P. Ramakrishnan.
Meeting on Jan. 12
Mr. Ramakrishnan is scheduled to convene a meeting on January 12 with representatives of the EICL management and the family Prafullakumar.
N.K. Premachandran, MP, has demanded an investigation into the death. Prafullakumar was a victim of the anti-labour measures initiated by the EICL management with the connivance of the State government, he alleged.
The AITUC district committee blamed the authorities for the death. The government and the management failed to discuss and resolve the labour disputes, the AITUC said.
Company’s reaction
The EICL management, expressing grief over Prafullakumar’s death, said its units in Thiruvananthapuram were closed due to the ‘ongoing Covid crisis and issues related to product distribution, among others.’ In a statement, the management extended condolences to his family, friends and co-workers. During the past one year, the company’s market share and operations have suffered losses. ‘The situation has greatly affected our employees as well,” the statement said.
