Southern States - Kerala

TUs flay order on cashew workers

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM MAY 21. Pro Left trade union leaders at a joint press conference here have registered their strong protests against a recent order from the Industries `K' Department which is poised to axe down many of the benefits enjoyed by the cashew workers. The Leaders, N. K. Premachandran, MP, and A. A. Aziz, MLA, (UTUC), K.P. Chandran (AITUC) and E. Kassim (CITU) also registered their protest against the continued apathy on the part of the UDF Government to reopen the public sector cashew factories under the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) and the Cashew Workers Apex Industrial Cooperative Society (Capex).

They said in order to highlight the same they are organising cashew workers both from the public and private sectors for a march towards the State capital and would lay siege to the Secretariat on June 11.

The order in question was issued on grounds calling for the need for reduction in costs and improvement in efficiency both at the management and workers levels. The order also calls for a change from the system `which encourages inefficiency and lack of accountability'.

As per the proposals in the order, gratuity for workers would be reduced from the present 15 days to seven days per year and special allowance for special workers would be reduced by 50 per cent for three years. Earned leave surrender would be suspended for one year and DA increments and promotions for the permanent staff would be frozen for three years. Permanent staff of the Capex would be excluded from the purview of the IRC.

Mr. Premachandran said that such moves are in total violation of the prevailing respective Acts. These are grossly anti-labour moves and would work to encourage denial of rights to the workers in the private sector too, he said.

Mr. Aziz alleged that the move from the Industries Department has the backing of the Labour Department. Though the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, had months ago announced a package to revive the cashew sector nothing in this direction had happened so far.

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