Burn Standard declares suspension of work at Howrah

The management of Burn Standard & Company, under the Railways Ministry, has declared suspension of work at the Howrah unit following alleged assault of a manager by a section of laid-off contractual workers last evening.
"We have declared suspension of work at Howrah unit after the assault on the GM of the factory by a section of contractual workers affiliated to INTTUC last evening", DGM (Personnel and Administration) G H Nag of Burn Standard told PTI.
The management had also filed FIR with the local police station at Howrah against five persons.
Nag said trouble started brewing at Howrah when the management decided to lay off 175 contractual workers in December 2013 following fall in wagon prices, telling them that they would be reinstated once the situation improved.

With no change happening, the workers resorted to sit-in hunger strike from February 11 both inside and outside the factory premises while the management was continuing with the negotiations with workers.
"Yesterday, GM Santanu Sarkar was lifted and dragged out from his chamber by a section of affected workers and was subject to abuses and physical assault", he alleged, adding that some councillors of the ruling Trinamool Congress party were also involved.
Nag said tension prevailed this morning as regular workers who had come to work were agitated to see the suspension of work notice pasted on the gates of the factory.