Date:03/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/03/stories/2008090356660100.htm

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Higher bonus in fourteen PSUs

Special Correspondent

To range from Rs.5,000 to Rs.16,000 against Rs.2,500 to Rs.12,500 last year

Karim says Onam will be free of labour disputes
PSUs to disburse bonus within a week

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The workers of 14 profit-making public sector companies will be getting higher bonus and ex gratia payments this year. The bonus will range from Rs.5,000 to Rs.16,000 against Rs.2,500 to Rs.12,500 last year, depending upon performance and other parameters.

Industries Minister Elamaram Karim and Labour Minister P. K. Gurudasan announced this after a conference of all concerned to settle bonus issues.

Most of the public sector units had finalised their bonus agreement at the company level. It was the cases of remaining ones that came to the consideration of the conference. They included the Traco Cables, Travancore Cochin Chemicals, Kerala Minerals and Metals, Kerala Electricals and Allied Engineering, Malabar Cements, United Electricals, Forest Industries Travancore, Metal Industries, Kerala State Industrial Enterprises, Transformers and Electricals Kerala, Kerala Ceramics, Steel and Industrial Forgings and Small Industries Development Corporation. All the 14 companies had showed better performance in 2007-08 compared to the previous year.

The Industries Minister said that Onam season would be free of labour disputes as most of the bonus issues in the public and private sector had been settled. The public sector undertakings would disburse bonus within a week.

The Labour Minister said that bonus for the public sector undertakings under the Labour Department had been finalised. The bonus for head load workers under the workers’ welfare fund scheme was increased by 0.5 per cent. The bonus for the transfer and lorry workers of the Cochin port too was settled.

Mr. Gurudasan announced that the lockout at the Apollo Tyres in Kochi would be lifted following acceptance of a settlement formula proposed by the government by the management and workers. Final decisions on production and quality improvement would be taken by December. The workers had agreed to improve production by November.