AIBSMU to organise two-day relay strike

Kolkata, Aug 1 (UNI) AITUC-affiliated All India Bata Shop Managers' Union today organised a two-day relay strike in protest against the management for the termination of 350 shop managers throughout the country at the central Kolkata.

In a statement here, AIBSMU president Gurudas Dasgupta said the Bata management had terminated the services of shop managers for participating in token strikes on September 16, last year and on February 24 this year, called by the federation and coordination committee also unilaterally terminated the recognition of six-decade-old union by simply a letter on February 16.

He said the Bata management obtained special permission from the West Bengal Government for opening retail stores on all the 365 days of the year and similar permission had been obtained in Karnataka, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, TripurA and lately in Maharashtra and UP.

''Everywhere our members were following the system based on special notifications inspite of problems in working as per roaster and we have raised the issue with the management to resolve the problems in working as per roaster, but management has not paid heed to it'' he said.

''We have taken up the matter with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Labour Minister Md Amin but did not get any positive response from them,'' Mr Dasgupta said ''We have also taken up the matter with the Prime Minister,'' he added.

UNI