Bata Suspends Labour Union Leader

The Bata India management has suspended Arup Dutta, one of the executive members of the Bata Mazdoor Union (BMU) who had been responsible for assaulting managing director W K Weston last week.

The suspension orders were passed at noon on Thursday. When contacted, the company management confirmed such a move. Bata's senior vice-president M J Z Mowla told Business Standard: "Yes, such a move has been made. We had made it clear at the outset that we will follow the law." It is understood as of now that BMU is not going to launch any agitation against the suspension. The union is not in a mood to stop production in the factory going by the phenomenal financial results logged by the company in the first half of this year. The only resistance being offered is the not working over-time or extra-time. It is firmly believed that it will only be a matter of time before Dutta will be dismissed in a manner similar to the other three who had been suspended on assault charges of a chief works officer 20 months back.

Dutta had manhandled Weston along with another BMU executive member Krishnendu Goswami who was one of the suspended members involved in the earlier assault case. The case has become interesting as the members of the management as well as the union will be meeting officials of the state labour department on Friday. This will be the first instance of both sides meeting state government authorities at the same time. The company has been experiencing some troubles at the labour front with its Hosur factory in Karnataka being kept under lock-out since April this year. While Batanagar, the company's largest factory remains the main trouble shooter as far as labour unrest goes, it has successfully signed long-term agreements with the unions in Mokamehghat, Bangalore and Faridabad.