MUMBAI, April 7: Phoenix Mill employees continued their agitation in front of the mill premises for the second day today, but allowed employees of other offices located in the compound access to their offices. State Labour Minister Sabir Sheikh, who met the workers at 8 am today, has convened a meeting of the mill owner and the recognised union, the Rashtriya Mill Mazdoor Sangh, tomorrow to discuss the problem.Mill workers were confronted with a notice pasted on the gate yesterday, announcing the suspension of 500 employees as per an agreement with the union in December 1996. The workers, however, claim they have no knowledge of the agreement and are demanding reinstatement of the suspended employees.
They are also sore with the management for shifting around machinery on the pretext of rationalising departments. The employees say they will intensify their agitation if all the suspended workers are not re-absorbed immediately. They have also threatened to obstruct other employees on the premises fromattending work if their own demand is not met.
The employees are also bitter with the union. "On the one hand, the management is throwing us out without reason and on the other the union is not standing by us in times of trouble," complains a suspended worker. He says Member of Parliament Mohan Rawle met the agitating workers yesterday but no positive steps have been initiated thus far. The workers also allege that they have been suspended on flimsy grounds. "We are permanent employees and have been working here since the last 25 years," they point out.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
