Bangalore: MTR factory locked out

Bangalore, May 5: Lock out was declared since last night at the manufacturing facility of processed vegetarian food products major MTR, bought out by Norwegian food giant Orkla Foods recently, with the company management not assigning any reason behind the move.

According to the employees, there were 800-odd workers working in the factory in Bommasandra Industrial Area in the city for more than ten years. They had sought higher wages and the management also did not seem averse to it. However, the factory was closed down during the night shift last night and the management gave no explanation to the employees in this regard.

A top company official, who refused to divulge reasons behind the decision to declare the lock out, however, said ''this (lock out) is only temporary. Everything will be solved by the next week.'' The company, which began as a family business, grew into a major ready-to-eat food products and spices producer. It was bought by Orkla early this year for a deal estimated to be in the range of 73 to 79 million US Dollars.

MTR manufactured high quality processed vegetarian food products like ready to eat meals, ready mixes, spices and condiments.

UNI