Workers stir, Kannan Devan announces "lockout"

Kochi, Sep 27 (UNI) The protest by a section of workers in the Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Company Limited (KDHP) has forced the management to 'lockout' six divisions of the company to curb losses.

According to a company release today, workers in six divisions of three estates resorted to 'go-slow tactics' demanding wage hike resulting in huge losses.

''Unable to bear the loss due to this illegal and unjustifiable go-slow, the company was forced to decide on lockout of these divisions as a last resort to curb further losses'', the release said.

The workers, for the last ten days, were demanding a 20 per cent bonus for this year and a wage enhancement as per the mininum wage notification issued by the Kerala government.

UNI MA AJ RA KP2051