RIL mgmt, IPCL union at loggerheads

Union gets stay against mass transfer to Jamnagar SEZ.

IPCL employees union has disputed the mass transfer of around 1,000 employees from its Baroda plant to an upcoming SEZ project of the Reliance Industries at Jamnagar.

Three unions representing IPCL employees affiliated to ITUC, INTUC and BMS have approached the labour commissioner in Vadodara and have obtained temporary stay against the transfer till March 2.

Meanwhile, IPCL which is now part of Reliance Industries Limited has dispatched its senior vice president V V Bhatt to IPCL Baroda plant to initiate negotiations with the union office bearers.

Bhatt will visit Baroda complex on Wednesday to initiate talks and avoid serious labour dispute at the plant.

The employees of the company have been granted stay under section 13/A of the labour act till Friday said K O Shah, Deputy Labour commissioner, Baroda.

The crisis started late last week when employees came to know about the management's move to shift the surplus employees to RIL's Rs 35,000 crore Jamnagar SEZ project where it requires skilled and unskilled manpower in large number.

The employees union sensing the management's move tries to obtain a stay against the mass transfer but their attempt was countered by the RIL management by admitting caveat in the Gujarat High Court.

When contacted, RIL spokesperson in an emailed reply said, "Since the matter is sub-judice we cannot comment on the same."

RIL management has reduced the employee strength at IPCL Baroda complex from over 13,500 employees when it took over from the government of India to present 6,500 employees.

Since the company was handed over to RIL at least two VRS have been offered to employees of the company.