Accusations and mistrust hit Dunlop reopening

Kolkata, Apr 30 (UNI) The reopening of Dunlop factory at Sahagange after five years ran into rough weather after the workers refused to accept the first instalment citing 'anomalies' in calculation and the management expressing their 'shock and surprise' at the move.

Mr Pawan Kumar Ruia, Chairman Rui Group, said, "Based on the Memorandum of settlement entered with two recognised unions on April 9, 2006 and as per Clause no.5 of the Settlement a sum of Rs 5000 as against a total amount of Rs 30,000 (OTS) was supposed to be paid today by April 30, 2006 prorated to their attendance." "It has been very surprising and shocking that the Unions have decided not to accept the said payment on the plea of wrong calculation of the amount being paid," he said.

"It is reiterated once again that there is no intention of the management to pay anything less than what has been agreed in the agreement and accordingly to entire calculation has been done and bank cheques/Pay orders were kept ready to be paid to the employees today at the Sahagange factory on production of their identity," he added.

"Any misunderstanding in the calculation as per the agreement entered into, if at all, can be sorted by mutual discussions and any amount if payable over and above whatever the amount being paid today, the same will be paid within next 10 days of time," he added.

However, Citu general Secretary Dipankar Roy told UNI, "Management had purposely tried to deprive the workers of their due share as agreed in the MOU and so the workers have rejected the payment made to them today." "The workers have suffered a lot and they have agreed to come down on a lumpsum amount of Rs 30,000 as adjustment of all their dues for the 11 months when the Chabarias ran the factory and left without making any payment. However, our calculated dues taking into account the benefits and bonus was Rs 80,000. But we agreed to Rs 30,000 as we wanted to co-operate with the new owner," he said.

"But instead of making the first payment of Rs 5000 to the workers, we saw that they were paid in between Rs 2200 and Rs 4200.

So the workers refused the payment," he said.

Asked as Mr Ruia said would they make their demands known in writing, he said, "We have already signed a MOU, why do we need anything else." MORE UNI BA AB 1826