The Madras High Court today issued notice to NLC Workers Progressive Union and NLC Anna Workers and Staff Union for going on strike despite a restraining order from the court.
Acting on a contempt petition by Neyveli Lignite Corporation Chief Regional Manager, M Maheswaran, Justice T. Raja issued notice to the unions and also allowed the sub-application filed by the NLC management to declare the strike, which commenced on July 20, as illegal.
Justice T Raja also directed the management to take action and disciplinary proceedings against those who went on strike.
The HC had on June 29 restrained the unions from going on strike.
NLC, in its contempt application, submitted that the unions had gone on strike from the third shift on July 20 despite the Court restraining them from doing so. It also alleged that the unions were 'instigating' and 'provoking' members of the respective trade unions to wilfully violate the court orders and prevent members from attending work.
NLC said the action of the unions was a clear contempt of Court, for which they are liable for punishment.
The second round of conciliatory talks between NLC and trade unions over the eight-day-old indefinite strike by employees on wage issue had failed yesterday.
Following failure of the tripartite talks at the Central Labour Commissioner office in Chennai, the trade unions spearheading the stir had said the strike by around 13,000 employees would continue.
