Nashik firm's workers intensify stir

The Nashik-based G P Electronics' workers, who were on strike for the last eight months, have extended their strike indefinitely. They are protesting contractual recruitment and have demanded an increment in salaries.

While the workers are staging protests in front of the deputy labour commissioner's office, joint labour commissioner Vasant Tejale yesterday gave permission to the management to recruit contract workers for its main production section.

The workers sought a salary hike after the previous agreement expired in May 2005. The management and the workers held several rounds of negotiations but no settlement could be reached.

While the workers are demanding a uniform raise in salary, the company has offered production-based increment.

As per the offer, workers would be given an increment of Rs 100 each for 40 tonne production and Rs 200 each for 70 tonne production. The company manufactures automobile magnets.

Earlier, when the company stopped manufacturing speaker magnet and ventured into the profit-making automobile magnets, the workers had supported this move in the interest of the company.

But since no adequate increment was given, they resorted to strike from May.