KOCHI: The LPG distributors in Ernakulam district have threatened to go on strike on November 15 if the police delay action against CITU leaders who allegedly attacked the owner of an LPG distribution agency at Kuzhuppilly on October 25.
“A group of CITU workers had trespassed into the premises of A and A Gas Agency and attacked owner Uma Sudheer, who is a member of the Scheduled Caste community. They hurled casteist slur and attacked her husband and son. Though an FIR has been registered, the police have not initiated action against the offenders. So we have decided to observe a one-day strike on November 15. If the police continue their apathy, we will hold a statewide strike,” said All-Kerala LPG Distributors Coordination Committee convener Babu Joseph.
Meanwhile, the functioning of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) bottling plants at Kochi, Kozhikode and Kollam was affected for three hours on Wednesday as contract workers observed a black day protesting against the dismissal of four temporary workers at A and A Gas Agency. The workers stage a protest meeting in front of the bottling plants.
“A section of contract workers held a protest in front of the bottling plants which affected the functioning of the plants for 3 hours. However, the protest was not against IOC but regarding some external disputes,” said an official at IOCL.
“The protest was held after informing the plant manager,” said Kerala Petroleum and Gas Workers Union (CITU) state secretary P K Anilkumar.
“The protest was against the illegal dismissal of a few workers at A and A Gas Agency. Though the district labour officer held talks with the agency, they refused to reinstate the workers. We are holding an indefinite sit-in protest in front of the agency. But we have not blocked distribution of LPG cylinders,” said Anilkumar.
