Nirma gets stay against plant re-opening order

Nirma has taken a stay against the order issued by the Labour Commissioner to reopen Saurashtra Chemicals Plant on last Friday.

The Nirma-owned Porbandar-based Saurashtra Chemicals Limited has downed its shutters as the company relieved 2,000 plus employees with effect from February 18 when Nirma group formally took charge of the unit from S K Birla group.

"We have taken court stay orders against the orders issued by Labour Commissioner and now as the matter lies in the court, it will be dealt accordingly," said C J Bhatt, Executive Director, Saurashtra Chemicals Limited.

"However, it is not a shut-down, lock-out nor closure of the plant. As we have relieved workers from the old management and have asked them to re-join on revised terms and conditions, we are compelled to stop the plant operations as there is no man-power available with new management," added Bhatt.

Deputy Labour Commissioner, A I Shaikh told Business Standard, "As the orders for re-functioning are already issued to the management, salary of the workers will be considered w.e.f. from 24, February 2006. We, as an administrative authority on behalf of Government, have issued orders to the management for making the plant functional. It's up to the management now to decide on to their future moves."

As per 25FF Industrial Dispute Act, they can relieve workers from old management after paying their dues but cannot shut down the plant and our objective behind issuing them orders is to get the plant reopened and also wages of workers should also be disbursed with immediate effect, he added.

Meanwhile, agitating employees have opposed the move taken by company. "The orders issued by Deputy Labour Commissioner are from the office of Governor of Gujarat and they have clearly disrespected the orders of the constitutional authority of India. As the management has got a legal stay against the Labour Commissioner's orders , we have also intensified our agitation. Thirty five employees are observing fast in the factory premises for the last 10 days. Outside there are at least 100 employees agitating against the management on daily basis in rotation shifts," explained Devendra C Gokani, labour union leader of Saurashtra Chemicals Limited.

"Our demand is very clear. Why are they relieving us and asking us to settle our dues? Furthermore, they are shutting down the plant. We have been loyal to the company and have been working for years and are left in the middle of nowhere. I do not understand the the entire idea of relieving and then re-appointing," Gokani maintained.