Tn Assurance To Binny Mills Workers

The Tamil Nadu government yesterday promised the 4,500 workers of the ailing Buckingham and Carnatic (B&C) mills here, to consider issuance of revenue recovery certificate to secure their wages from the mill management, labour sources said.

The move came in the wake of Binny Ltds failure to pay wages for 10 of the last 12 months, during which time the mill mostly remained closed, N Sriramulu, general secretary of B&C mills staff union, said.

He asserted the state government had the right to issue such order, under section 33 (c) (i) of the Industrial Disputes Act, to the district collector who would be required to initiate proceedings against the management.

 

Under the order, wage arrears would be considered as revenue arrears from the company to the state, and action taken accordingly, Sriramulu said.

The ministers assurance was in response to the unions appeal to the government to invoke its powers under the act, he added.

On the unions main demand for state takeover of the company, Rehman Khan said he would take up the issue with the chief minister, M Karunanidhi, as it was a policy matter.