HPL workers begins indefinite strike
The 2,000-odd temporary workforce at the Rs 1,230-crore Project Supermax at Haldia Petrochemicals (HPL) went on indefinite strike, adversely hitting operations at the site. The workers supported by CPM’s labour arm Citu started strike in the HPL for the first time after the failure of dialogue between worker’s union and HPL authorities.
The strike begins just before the visit of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to East Midnapore. The state government is a principal promoter of Project Supermax which has been already undergoing a cost overrun due to delay in implementation.
HPL added in a statement, “This is to inform that there were conciliation proceedings towards settlement of a charter of demands (COD) between HPL and HPL Contractors’ Workers Union on Friday in the presence of the additional labour commissioner, in the course of which the above union served notice of an indefinite strike effective November 21.”
Meanwhile, the State government is said to have assigned State Industry Minister Nirupam Sen to resolve the matter for avoiding any further delay in the implementation of the project. A senior government official warned against decline in profitability of the firm in coming quarters in case of failure of earlier resumption of work at the project site.