The Hindu Business Line : Hind Motor’s Uttarpara factory workers likely to protest

Corporate - Trade & Labour Unions
Industry & Economy - Infrastructure
States - West Bengal
Hind Motor’s Uttarpara factory workers likely to protest

IT township and auto park project

Somasroy Chakraborty

Kolkata, Sept. 17 Fresh trouble is brewing at Hindustan Motors’ (HM) Uttarpara factory. A section of the workers led by the Shangrami Shramik Karmachari Union (SSKU), one of the five registered trade unions of HM, may prevent construction of Rs 5,500-crore IT township and auto park project on 314 acres adjacent to the Uttarpara factory until their demands are met.

Earlier, HM had entered into an arrangement with Bangalore-based real estate developer Shriram Properties Ltd for the project. Global investment firms, including Starwood Capital Group and Walton Street Capital, are also partners in the project.

“As per the agreement with the management, we have decided not to take up any production-oriented movement. But the proposed township project is not related to production. Hence, we will not allow construction to start till our demands are met,” Mr Amitava Bhattacharyya, President, SSKU, told Business Line.

“We are yet to decide on the nature of our movement. It could be through mobilisation of workers at the project site or a symbolic protest. We will decide when construction work will start,” he added.

Workers’ demand

According to him, the demands include payment of DA (Dearness Allowance), granting of permanent stature to casual workers and revoking suspension of the workers.

“We are not in a position to comment since there has been no formal dialogue with the trade union representatives in this regard,” said Ms Soni Shrivastav, General Manager – Corporate Communication, CK Birla Group. Shriram Properties Ltd officials also did not comment on the issue.

Industry sources said that as per the agreement, HM management had agreed to pay DA arrears in January 2008. A decision on granting permanent stature to casual workers will be taken up in December, the source added.

Meanwhile, election is coming up at HM’s Uttarpara unit to decide on the sole bargaining agent for the workers. The election date is expected to be announced by the end of this month.