Ace Glass Containers lifts lockout

After 10 months, Ace Glass Containers Ltd has announced that it will lift the lockout at its flint glass container manufacturing plant in Malegaon (Sinnar) MIDC area, 25 km from Nashik, from Tuesday.

Speaking to Business Standard, a senior company official said, "The company had to declare a lockout at its Nashik unit on May 31, 2006, due to the misbehaviour, indiscipline and non-cooperation by the workers. After submission of guarantee letters by the workers promising to maintain discipline and productivity, the company has announced the lifting of the lockout at the unit with effect from Tuesday."

"The repair and maintenance of furnace and other works are needed initially. The actual start of the furnace may take a few more days. The workers have been asked to report to their duty," he said.

In 1996, L&T commissioned its plant to manufacture flint glass containers in Malegaon (Sinnar), an MIDC area, 25 km from Nashik and had sold the unit to Ace Glass Containers of the C K Somani Group for an undisclosed amount in October 2005. The plant has a manufacturing capacity of 320 million tonne a day and serves the liquor, soft drinks and food industries.

The plant has 705 workers - 305 permanent and 400 workers on contract. Initially, The workers were on 15-day strike (from October 24, 2005) against the decision of the Larsen &Tourbo (L&T) to sell its Nashik unit of glass container business to Ace Glass Containers Ltd. of the C K Somani Group without taking the workers union (CITU affiliated) into confidence.

The company had begun operations on November 8, 2005, following a settlement between the management and workers.

But, within six months, disputes between the management and union surfaced again, leading to a lockout at the Nashik unit of Ace Glass Containers Ltd from May 31, 2006. The company has lifted the lockout and it will once again start the operations tomorrow.