Discussion held at the District Collectorate regarding the pending wages issue of the NTC mill workers and the restarting of the mill operations has reached an amicable solution. The NTC administration has promised that the pending wages will be paid by June 25.
Coimbatore: Discussion held at the District Collectorate regarding the pending wages issue of the NTC mill workers and the restarting of the mill operations has reached an amicable solution. The NTC administration has promised that the pending wages will be paid by June 25.
Following the COVID-19 spread and the lockdown, the NTC mill administration took a decision to pay half the wages to the workers. Following this announcement, labourers expressed their disapproval of the decision and a meeting was held in the presence of the District Collector on June 2. At the meeting the workers demanded full pay and recommencement of operations at the mills.
During this meeting, the administration agreed that full wages would be provided until May 17 and half pay would be given from May 18. However, the promised pay has not been provided by the management yet.
On June 17 workers and trade union leaders led by MP P.R. Natarajan laid siege to the NTC Headquarters. The NTC trade unions also warned that they would go on an indefinite hunger strike if a solution is not attained and demanded a meeting led by the District Collector.
As per the demand, a meeting was held in the presence of the District Collector today. MP P.R. Natarajan represented the workers, Managers Rajendra Kumar, Venkatesh and Sudhakar represented the NTC management, and LPF Parthsarathy, INTUC Srinivasan, CITU Xavier, ATP Gopal, AITUC Arumugam, HMS Rajamani, MLF Thyagarajan, NTLF Rangasamy participated on behalf of the trade unions.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, MP P.R. Natarajan said, "The tripartite meeting regarding the wages of NTC mill workers and the commencement of operations has ended amicably. At the meeting, it was agreed that the promised pay will be paid by June 25. The suggestion by the District Collector that NTC mills in TN should commence operations stage by stage was agreed to by the NTC mills management."