The management was forced to halt operations at EICL as the company was running on a loss and no immediate solution was in sight with regard to raw material availability, Sunil B.S., General Manager, EICL, said. The management had also informed Government Departments concerned in August that the company was facing a crisis.
“In August, we had given a detailed notice to the Minister and the Secretary, Industries Department, and the Departments of Labour and Factories and Boilers saying that unless raw material is made available, we may have to discontinue operations. There is no other source elsewhere in Kerala,”' he said.
According to him, the strike call by the unions was uncalled for. The management had agreed to the LTA. But considering the financial situation of the company, it had agreed to 70% of the revision and an interim relief was being paid since April. Meanwhile, the unions said they had apprised the State Government of the issue. The Labour Department is yet to finalise a date for conciliatory talks, Labour Commissioner Sajan C. V. said.
