Strike over pay jams wheels at Hind Motors

KOLKATA/SERAMPORE: Production of Ambassador cars at Hindustan Motors' Uttarpara factory came to a halt on Monday morning after the employees refused to join work in protest against the delay in salary payment.
The Hindustan Motors management, however, said only a small section of employees was responsible for the disruption. "Some of them intimidated the others, forcing the stop-work," said HM executive vice-president Moloy Chowdhury.
However, Sangrami Shramik Karmachari Union secretary Amitabha Bhattacharya claimed the support of a large section of the workforce and threatened to continue the strike for an indefinite period."On February 27, we had come to an understanding with the management that all the outstanding dues would be cleared by March 9. The management didn't initiate any effort to that end, leading to the agitation," Bhattacharya said.
Chowdhury, though, argued that a notice on salary payment had already been issued. "Salaries will be paid on March 13. HM has never defaulted on salaries. There is some delay due to a cash crunch following consistent losses at the Uttarpara unit," he said, adding that a turnaround plan was on the anvil.