Dunlop unions split on Shahgunj unit closure

Our Bureau

Calcutta, Oct 15: Dunlop India Ltd's unions are divided over the reopening of its Shahgunj factory in West Bengal on the terms and conditions announced by the management at the bipartite meetings held on October 14 and 15, 1998. The Citu-backed Dunlop Worker's Union has summarily rejected the company's offer to reopen the unit partially with a reduced workforce.

The offer is being viewed with suspicion, as the company's appeal before the Appellate Authority Industrial & Financial Reconstruction is scheduled to be heard on October 20. Dunlop India officials could not be contacted throughout the day on Thursday.

According to the Citu-backed union's general secretary Dipankar Roy, the Dunlop management has offered to reopen the Shahgunj factory partially, where temporary suspension was declared on February 8, 1998.

The management has offered:

To start production of aircraft tyres, OTR and industrial products with 40 per cent of the existing workforce of over 4000;

Renew the long-termagreement with the workers which had expired on May 2, 1997;

Productivity and output to be in line with the work study norms and has to be at par with international standards;

Fresh voluntary retirement scheme;

The union's demands in response to the management's offer was:

Payment of salaries for the period between November 1997 and February 7, 1998 (the day on which the temporary suspension was declared) apart from the period during which the operations remained suspended;

Payment of bonus;

Payment of retirement and widow pension;

Repayment of fixed deposits which have matured;

Tripartite meeting involving the state government

However, Roy said that the other Intuc-backed union was reluctant to reject the management's offer.

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