THOOTHUKUDI: Police arrested 95 workers attached to Neyveli Tamil Nadu Power Limited (NTPL) who resorted to roadblock protest condemning the circular issued by job contractors to terminate contract employees participating in the agitation demanding permanent jobs and to implement the order of the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (DCLC) pronounced on April 30, 2021.
Called on by the central organisation of the electricity employees federation affiliated with the CITU, the strike by the workers of NTPL, a subsidiary of NLC India Limited, entered day 4 on Thursday. Over 500 contract workers, out of 1,100, had been boycotting work every day. Meanwhile, the private job contractors who had deployed the workers, issued a circular threatening to initiate disciplinary actions and cancellation of job contracts, unless they returned to their jobs.
As per the circular, the private employers termed the strike unlawful as a case in this regard is being heard at the labour tribunal, and that those participating in the strike may be subjected to disciplinary actions that will lead to the cancellation of job contracts.
The circular also noted that the Ministry of Labour and Employment had termed NLC India Limited and its subsidiaries under the essential service sector in a notification dated December 28, 2022, and thus, boycotting work is prohibited under the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947.
"The striking workers may face salary cut on the basis of 'no work no pay', those participating in a one-day token strike will face a salary cut for 8 days, loss of eligibility for acquiring contract jobs again and withdrawal of identity cards, among the five conditions," the circular noted.
Condemning the contractors, the workers, headed by the federation leader Mariyadas, resorted to a road blockade near the old bus stand. Police arrested 95 workers. The protesters also sought the intervention of the district collector Dr K Senthil Raj to settle the issues.