Nalco employees stop work in Refinery

Bhubaneswar, Jun 24 (UNI) In a bid to show their strong resentment and opposition to the offloading of ten per cent equity by the Centre in NALCO, the employees today stalled the production in the Refinery and Mining work in Damonjodi.

Production of aluminium in the Smelter plant of NALCO at Angul came to a grinding halt yesterday following a 24-hour ceasework strike by the employees to protest the Centre's decision to divest 10 per cent.

The 4500-odd employees of the Smelter Plant and Captive Power Plant at Angul, however, resumed their work today and production commenced at the Smelter plant, NALCO sources said.

Nearly 2,700 employees of NALCO's Refinery plant and Mining at Damonjodi, however, stopped work today, paralysing production in the plant and mining site to lodge their protest against the divestment.

NALCO General Manager (Maintenance and Operation) G K Behera said all the 2700 odd employees, including the executive rank officers, had abstained from their duty in response to a call by the Employees Union to observe a 24-hour ceasework agitation condemning the Centre's decision to offload 10 per cent equity in the company The NALCO Employees Federation of India had also decided to go for one day ceasework agitation at the Corporate Office here to put pressure on the Centre to withdraw 10 per cent divestment in the profit-making company.

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