The employees, particularly casuals and contractors’ men, of Birla Tyres here will hold a day-long strike on Tuesday, as a mark of protest against the company’s step-motherly attitude towards the lower-rung and temporary workers.
“In this token strike, not only the company causals, contractors’ men, but also the regular workers will take part,” said workers’ union leader and former MlA Arun Dey while addressing the media here on Sunday. The plant has not been operating round the year for the past few years. Every month, the plant production is halted for about 15 days owing to a slump in the sector and poor market demand, as reasoned by the company authorities.
“Since 2010, the factory has been almost closed. Earlier, it used to remain closed for two to three days, but now it is more than 25 days a month. As a result, the causal employees are at the receiving end,” Dey said, adding, “On the other hand, the regular employees, supervisors and officers are getting their salary without fail.” “If there is any problem, the company should enforce layoff. On the one hand, the authorities here agreed for wage increment; on the other hand, a worker is sitting idle for 25 days without job and wage. It is an irony,” he quipped.
“The company’s second plant at Haridwar, which is of 650 MT capacity, is running full-fledged, while, the mother plant’s (Baleswar) production has been squeezed on the alibi of market meltdown,” he further said, adding, “It is a conspiracy to shut this plant. Through this symbolic strike we would try to exert pressure on the authorities.”