Strike at MCF doesn't hit production

Despite the strike launched by the contract workers of Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited MCF), despatches are normal and there has been no loss of production, according to Kannan S, company secretary, MCF.

The state government has initiated discussions and one such meeting was held on August 11 under the chairmanship of Tanveer Sait, minister of state for labour. The discussions were inconclusive and adjourned to August 18.

MCF has around 540 permanent workers on its rolls who enjoy good remuneration and other benefits. Till recently, the INTUC Union called as 'MCF Workers Union', claimed majority of the permanent workers.

According to Kannan, despite reasonable packages offered by the management, the union was not willing to sign a settlement which expired on March 31, 2000.

The workers became restless and formed a separate internal union "� MCF Mangala Workers Union "� which claimed majority of the permanent workers. Nearly 450 out of 540 permanent workers have individually signed the settlement.

The company has engaged around 250 contract workers for urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and ammonium bicarbonate (ABC) loading operations, and for canteen and janitorial services.

These workers enjoy good remuneration and other benefits such as provident fund, gratuity, uniforms, subsidised canteen facilities etc. Their wage settlement expired on June 30, 2000.

Till recently, these workers were affiliated to HMS union called MCF Employees Union. This union was about to sign a long-term wage settlement offered by the management before Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC).

In December 2003, the workers in urea and DAP loading operations resorted to agitations by refusing to do additional hours of work on payment to compensate for the absence of their colleagues, willful absenteeism etc, causing serious disruptions in dispatches which resulted in in silo stock build-up and huge loss to the company.

The contractor abandoned work and the company had to resort to alternative means of dispatches. A settlement was reached on December 26, 2003, before ALC, Mangalore, and the workers resumed operations while a long-term wage settlement was still pending conciliation.

In the meanwhile, majority of the workers engaged in loading operations switched over from HMS Union to INTUC Union, which had earlier lost its hold over the permanent workers.

The workers led by this union again resorted to the same old practices of refusal to do additional hours of work, absenteeism en masse without prior intimation, riotous behaviour, usage of abusive language on officers, sit in strike etc.

The contractor again declined to continue the operations in view of the conduct of his workers and the management was left with no other option than to suspend the contract with effect from August 4, 2004, afternoon.

Consequently, these workers, numbering 110 in urea and 44 in DAP, forfeited their right to enter the factory premises. In view of the busy sowing season, the company was forced to take recourse to alternative means of dispatch by engaging casual workers.

Despite the court orders restricting entry of unauthorised persons within 300 metres, the striking workers started obstructing smooth flow of men and materials. The police had to step in to ensure peaceful operations.