Pune labour cslams union body

Court said that the union is using delaying tactics

In the ongoing battle between auto major Bajaj Auto and its labour union Vishwakalyan Kamgar Sanghatana, the Pune Labour Court today slammed the union body for using delaying tactics.

The court in its hearing today said that Vishwakalyan Kamgar Sanghatana (VKKS) has not filed any 'written submission' in time, neither has it engaged any advocate in the matter.

Labour court judge N S Kole in his order said, 'The company is suffering huge losses due to illegal strike declared by Bajaj Auto. With these contentions applicant pray for rejecting the application and for taking on record the affidavit of his witness.'

The court also stated that is seems VKKS is not interested in prosecuting the case and only interested in delaying the same for one or other reasons. The court was adjourned today and will be hearing the issue again on July 29.

Bajaj Auto had filed a petition at the start of the month in the Labour Court to declare the strike illegal. Dilip Pawar, president of VKKS, had earlier petitioned the court in person and sought time to appoint its lawyer to argue the case. The court had then directed Pawar to file a written submission to the court.

Questioning union's intensions, the court has rejected VKKS' revised application by saying that it is not intending to file its written submission. This shows its lethargic approach towards the matter. Union bonafidely does not want to prosecute the reference in proper manner. Under these circumstances, the application deserves to be rejected and no written submission order is passed against VKKS, said the Court order.

On July 17, the Court dismissed an adjournment application filed by VKKS. The application asked that Bajaj Auto submit payslips to enable workers know on what grounds their June salaries had been cut. The court refered this as 'delaying tactics'. VKKS has filed a revision application in Pune Industrial Court to challenge earlier order of the Labour Court, in the industrial court.

'It proves that the court had refused to allow any delay tactics taken by the union. In spite of repeatedly given option of filing their say, previously but had failed. The union had failed to appoint a lawyer till date,' said Aditya Joshi, the lawyer appearing for Bajaj Auto.