APCL will shut down if workers desist from joining work: GM

Guwahati, Sept 12 (UNI) Assam Carbon Products Limited General Manager (operations) G P Chawla today warned the workers that if they refuse to join duty, the company would soon be forced to shut down.

He said despite Assam Carbon incurring a monthly loss of almost Rs one crore for the past nine months and even after the lock-out was lifted following negotiations the workers refused to cooperate and join duty.

The GM said the company has been forced to think that the workers want it to actually shut down and leave the state.

The lock-out was lifted on July 25 last after work was stopped in the company on November 29 last year following a row between the administration and the workers' union.

A new union was formed that had struck the conciliation deal, with 30 of the total 268 workers of the company resuming duty.

Mr Chawla said, '' With 30 persons resuming duty, we had regained almost 75 per cent of our total production. But the revolting faction has been preventing them from entering the premises. They have been holding daily demonstrations at the company gate and have also resorted to attacking company vehicles,'' he added.

The feuding workers have been demanding salary for the period of lock-out, with the administration insisting on its clause of no-work-no-pay and refusing to budge.

Mr Chawla appealed to the workers to resume work as the company was running losses of Rs 80 lakh to one crore for the last nine months.

UNI SG KK RN1835