Binny Staff Consent To Vrs In Two Instalments

Binny workers have, in yet another compromise gesture, agreed to take the VRS package in two instalments.

In the last round of talks held with the Tamil Nadu labour minister and the health minister, who spoke on behalf of the state chief minister, the workers were persuaded to agree for the final settlement to be made in two instalments.

But, the state government has also specified the time frame - while 50 per cent of the amount due should be made as soon as an agreement is reached with the workers, the balance is to be cleared within three months of the first payment.

 

Trainees who have been on the rolls of the company for less than five years, Rs 50,000 also are to be paid while those who have served the company for more than five years will be paid Rs 75,000.

Other permanent employees, it may be recalled, have agreed to the VRS package as proposed by the chief minister M Karunanidhi. This will on an average work out to Rs 1.25 lakh plus gratuity.

For the 20-month period for which workers have not been paid wages - a new formula has been proposed.

For this entire period workers will be paid one month's wages as ex-gratia as full and final settlement. For this period, workers have been paid about two months wages, stores upto April 1997 and ration upto June 1997 (the mills have remained closed from June 1996).

No further dues are to be claimed by workers on this account. After these payments are made, both management and labour are also to withdraw all petitions filed in various courts by either side. Significantly, the management did not give any commitment, at the meeting, to either the government or the workers although the payment-in-instalments as suggested by them has been agreed to by the workers.

With the chief minister caught up in election work, the health minister Arcot N Veerasamy has sought time for the government to announce its next move.