The management of Bata India Ltd yesterday flagged off fresh negotiations with the Bata Mazdoor Union (BMU) in the light of the recommendations put forth by the state labour secretary V Subramanian.
Last week, after a tripartite meeting between the state government, the union and the management, it was decided that the BMU would go ahead and discuss issues with the management other than reinstatement of the three executive committee workers of the BMU who had been dismissed after investigations pertaining to assault of a chief works officer at Batanagar in 1996.
According to BMU sources, the management has initiated their offer on basic pay and dearness allowance neutralisation rate. In terms of basic, a rise of Rs 10 per week on each and every employee has been offered. It is also proposed that Rs 5 from dearness allowance will be merged into the basic pay.
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"We hope that this is the beginning of a fruitful negotiation process," commented union sources.
"We have made a good beginning," said the company's senior vice-president M J Z Mowla.
The meeting