KOCHI: A Kochi-based company with Rs 300-crore export turnover and employing 250 people (100 on contract) is the latest victim of the militant trade unionism in the state. The difference this time is that the disruption is caused by Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the trade union arm of Sangh Parivar.
Arjuna Natural, which is into herbal spice extract exports to the United States and Europe, has been facing strike and disruption in its functioning by BMS workers at its Edayar facility in Ernakulam since April 23. The company officials said they will be forced to shift the company to Tamil Nadu, where the company already has two bigger factories — one in Coimbatore and the other in Sathyamangalam.
Though the immediate trigger for the strike came after Arjuna Natural laid off nine junior workers after three out of its four plants were shut down recently, officials blamed BMS, which recently started its influence among a section of its workers, for the sudden deterioration of the company’s functioning.
Incidentally, CITU and INTUC, the trade union wing of CPM and Congress respectively, have no presence in Arjuna Natural. Officials said Industries Minister P Rajeeve has promised all protection for its uninterrupted working. The district labour officer has called a meeting on Tuesday to end the deadlock between the management and the BMS.
“We have been a trade union-free company in our 32 years of existence. BMS, which started to interfere in the company’s affairs recently, has made things worse. They have attacked our senior executives outside the company premises,” said Rajesh M S, chief human resource officer, Arjuna Natural. He said the company’s wage agreement was valid till 2024, under which the employees are entitled to all benefits.
“This can’t be revised all of a sudden.”
He said the company was going through a tough time after its nine consignments worth crores were returned from Europe after the European Union made the maximum permissible level of ethylene oxide in spice exports at 0.1 mg/kg. “The change in the rule has forced us to shut down three plants, affecting our exports.
Strike has not disrupted company functioning: BMS
Kochi: BMS general secretary Sreeviji T V said six workers who were laid off from the company belonged to the BMS. “The company has taken an adamant position that it will not recognise any trade union. This is the root cause of the trouble. The BMS unit started in Arjuna Natural after 30 workers in the production side approached us,” he said. “Our strike has not disrupted the company’s functioning. The company recently invested in modern technology by investing Rs 50 crore. This has made some workers redundant,” he said.