After the labour unrest at Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant, a strike by 400-500 contract workers has badly affected the production of Century paper mill, a division of Century Textile Industries, at Lalkuan area of Nainital district in Uttarakhand.
“There is no production during the past two days,” said a top police official who is keeping a close tab on the situation.
The workers are demanding better wages among other things and are also protesting against the management’s move to downsize the work force in the factory.
With workers sitting on dharna in front of the factory premises, a large police force has been deployed to avert any Manesar-like incident there. “We have put up adequate police force in view of the tension that has been brewing in and around the Century factory,” said the police official.
Concerned over the strike, state labour minister Harish Chandra Durgapal held talks with the management of the mill on Sunday. The sources said the management agreed to increase 10 per cent of the wages of the workers with immediate effect.
With this, some workers have agreed to rejoin duty.
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However, a section of the striking workers is still demanding better wages. “We are hopeful that will end and workers will join duty tomorrow,” said Durgapal.
Meanwhile, the management has warned that if the workers did not return to work, they will be compelled to close the factory.