Strikers at Ace Glass Containers“ newly acquired plant at Nashik (160 km north-east of Mumbai) returned to work on 8 November 2005 after agreement was reached with the firm in the presence of Dinkar …
Strikers at Ace Glass Containers“ newly acquired plant at Nashik (160 km north-east of Mumbai) returned to work on 8 November 2005 after agreement was reached with the firm in the presence of Dinkar Pagare, deputy commissioner, Labour, at Nashik. The workers began an indefinite strike on 24 October 2005 in protest at the alleged lack of consultation on the transfer of the plant from Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to Ace Glass Containers, part of the C K Somani Group. Settlement was reached following successful talks between the management and a delegation from the Nashik Workers“ Union. D L Karad, general secretary, State CITU (Centre for Indian Trade Unions) and R S Pande, vice-president, Nashik Workers“ Union, signed for the workforce, while Rajan Salvi, vice-president, Ace Glass Containers and S P Jahagirdar, deputy general manager, signed on behalf of management. Karad said, “As per an agreement with the new management of Ace Glass Containers, no retrenchment will take place in future and workers will not be transferred outside the Nashik (Sinnar) plant. Only internal transfers will take place. The factory workers will get 15% bonus (for 2004-05). The management will begin talks with workers“ union after two months on increment issue and it will be applicable with effect from the date of expiry of the earlier settlement (1 November 2004).” He added, “Workers on contract basis will continue to work at the unit as per the existing practice.” L&T began manufacturing flint glass containers in 1996 in Malegaon (Sinnar) MIDC area, 25 km from Nashik, and sold the unit to Ace Glass in October 2005. The plant has a manufacturing capacity of 320 metric tonnes per day and serves the liquor, soft drinks and food industries. It employs 705 workers: 305 permanent and 400 on a contract basis.