Suspension of work lifted; HM to be reopened tomorrow

Kolkata, May 09 (UNI) After a month-long hiatus, Hindustan Motors (HM) would reopen tomorrow as suspension of work was lifted today following a tripartite agreement.

The meeting was attended by state Labour Minister Mrinal Banerjee, the management and five trade unions.

Corporate Communication Head of C K Birla Group Soni Srivastav said the notice in this regard would be put up in the company today.

He said, " It is a positive move. We are all happy for the breakthrough. At last the impasse has been resolved. " Though three unions - CITU, SSU and IFTU - came to an agreement, the SSKU and INTUC, however, did not become a party to it.

Mr Banerjee said since the two other unions opposed the agreement, the state government did not sign it.

He said, " If the truce fails, the onus will be on the management and supporting unions. " SSKU president Amitabha Bhattacharya said they were not a party to the agreement and would continue with the agitation.

He said the SSKU and the INTUC would jointly take out a march to Writers' Buildings tomorrow demanding Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's intervention to end the imbroglio.

According to the agreement, the management would take up for discussion the issue of the contract labourers, and a consolidated amount of Rs 3500 would be disbursed to all the workers as an advance which would be adjusted with salary later on.

It might be mentioned that the Hindustan Motors' Uttarpara plant, the country's oldest automobile unit manufacturing Ambassador cars, had been facing labour strife since March 14.

UNI