Hind Motors management fails to attend meeting

The West Bengal government's efforts to restore peace at Hindustan Motors failed as the company management did not attend the meeting called today.

State Labour Minister Mrinal Banerjee said the workers' union attended the meeting, but the management representatives could not participate in the meeting because the an officer injured in clashes was in critical condition.

The union proposed that as a goodwill gesture the management should withdraw the suspension and chargesheet of at least 10 people out of the 45 rendered the punitive action. In case the management agreed to the demand, the workers would allow entry and exit of goods from the plant at Uttarpara in Hooghly district, the union said.

Banerjee said he had conveyed the proposals to the management. "The local management head would speak to the top management and give a feedback by tomorrow," the labour minister said.

The government would again call a meeting tomorrow if the management comes back with a positive feedback, he said.

The company had indefinitely suspended work at the plant from Wednesday morning following clashes between the labour unions and the police on Tuesday.