| MRF reopens Chennai factory |
| Press Trust of India & BS Reporter / Chennai February 5, 2008 |
| Tyre Major MRF today reopened its Thiruvottiyur manufacturing facility, after more than 60 days of lockout following a dispute between the management and the unions. The managment had accused the workers of "not meeting productivity norms, and indiscipline" before announcing an indefinite lockout on December 3 last year. However, after Tamil Nadu government announced in the Assembly on January 30 that it would takeover the unit if the lockout was not lifted soon, company chairman K M Mammen had assured Chief Minister M Karunanidhi of reopening the unit yesterday, but did not. "A notice was put up at the notice board last evening announcing the reopening of the plant today," sources told PTI. Following this, about 300 permanent workers and 300 contract workers today entered the factory to report for duty, after the factory was reopened this morning. D Pandian, president, MRF Employees Union, and CPI's state secretary, expressed his happiness over the reopening. "We are very happy. And would like to resolve the issues with the management by holding talks," he told PTI when asked about the fate of the 28 suspended employees. Sources said that a union meeting is likely to be held tomorrow to dicuss the issue. Yesterday, the MRF management had informed the Madras High Court that issues will be sorted out by negotiations. Counsel for MRF, A L Somaiaji, had informed Justice N Paulvasanthakumar, that all pending issues would be negotiated with the Union and the same will be reported to the court. Updated at 1900 hrs on Monday, February 4: MRF will reopen its Tiruvottiyur factory on Tuesday, February 5. The MRF factory has been closed since December 3, 2007, after a lockout was announced by the company over a dispute on productivity norms between the management and workers union. MRF chairman K M Mammen Mappillai met Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday and gave assurance that the lock out would be lifted on Monday. A company official on Monday said the factory would be reopened Tuesday morning. The factory is expected to back in full production in few days after maintenance work is carried out, union sources said. The factory is one of the oldest plants of MRF and employs about 1,600 people, including contract workers. According to a government statement, labour problems at the unit will be settled through negotiations by state electricity minister Arcot N Veerasamy and labour minister T M Anbarasan. MRF had declared indefinite lockout at the factory from December 3 last year. This came after a one-day token lockout declared on November 30. Intervention by the state labour commission failed to arrive at a solution. After the failure of the government |
