Industrialists act to address labour issues
The bank could have to cough up nearly a billion dollars to settle the inquiry, making it the largest such settlement in history, the authorities said.
The Employers’ Federation of South India (EFSI) is taking its tirade against a splinter workers’ group to the next level.
The industrialists’ federation wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, condemning the recent action by the New Democratic Labour Front (NDLF), the splinter group, NDTV reported on 31 July.
In the strongly scripted letter, the EFSI said the “union, led by some vested interests, has been unleashing violence and causing unrest in the state's industrial belts”.
Some members of the federation are facing violence in different industrial areas, including Sriperumbudur, Maraimalainagar and Hosur.
Under the direction of state labour officials, tripartite talks were held to check the employment scenario in various industrial belts in the state.
The participants included representatives of 15 unions and EFSI as well as state labour department officials.
It was resolved that:
- There will be a meeting of key stakeholders three times a year
- Fringe elements in various industries continue to be an issue
- Issues in various industries should be solved at the unit level
- Workers and management should work on improving specific skill sets of workers
- The participants realised they need to address the issue of a next generation on either side. The next generation will address industrial relations specifically, and not just human relations. The officials said both the unions and management realise the need for successors to lead the next level of employee–management relationship.
Mr B. Santhanam, President of the EFSI and MD of Saint Gobain India, said on the sidelines of a CII event that the federation is taking the issue seriously and has urged the state government to intervene.
Another round of talks will now be held with representatives of workers’ unions from the Hosur industrial belt.