THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite government assurances, ‘nokkukooli’, an euphemism for extortion by labour unions in the state, has once again reared its ugly head. A group of irate trade union (TU) workers roughed up construction workers and a private contractor near Pothencode on Thursday after they refused to pay the loading workers gawking wages.
Contractor Manikandan and his three workers were attacked by loading workers belonging to CITU, INTUC and AITUC unions at Kaduvakkuzhy. Five men were arrested by Pothencode police on Thursday. The police said the incident occurred at Kaduvakkuzhy by 9.30 am. The contractor, who brought the construction materials, was blocked by about 15 union workers, who demanded C10,000 as ‘nokkukooli’. When they refused to pay, the contractor and his staff were attacked.