The historic Geeta Press here today announced an indefinite lockout, after talks between its management and employees, over wage issues failed.
The workers at the over 90-year-old publication had been demanding higher wages, medical benefits from the management, and for last fifteen days had resorted to sloganeering and protests to press for their demands.
"The situation went out of hand in the last one month and with heavy hearts, we are closing down the press indefinitely," its trustee Devi Dayal said.
The management of the press, which is publishing religious and other magazines and books since 1923 held failed talks with employees over wage issues, as the reason responsible for the closure.
"The employees of the Press have resorted to dharna since December 3 and are not allowing others to work, affecting work. As employees are not ready after repeated request, Geeta Press is being closed down", a notice pasted on the gate of the press, said.
Presently 185 permanent and 300 contractual employees are working at the Geeta Press.
Deputy Labour Commissioner, R P Gupta said that Geeta Press management and employees were on collision course since 1992 over wages and others issues.
There were a number of talks between both the sides but all of them failed, Gupta said.
Founded in 1923 to propagate the holy scripture 'Gita', the press is a unit of Kolkata-based Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (presently governed by the West Bengal Societies Act, 1961), according to its official website.
