Workers kill HR official at Coimbatore auto parts unit
He Was Taking Efforts To Put Factory’s Ops On Track
M Allirajan | TNN
Coimbatore: The ongoing labour strife at the city-based auto instruments maker, Pricol, took a turn for the worse on Tuesday with its vicepresident (human resources), Roy J George, dying in hospital after being attacked by striking workers.
George and four of his colleagues were assaulted by some workers at the company’s Periyanaickanpalayam unit on Monday. George (47), who suffered multiple head injuries after being allegedly attacked with iron rods, died at a private hospital in the city on Tuesday.
Roy, who joined Pricol only six months ago with the specific brief to handle the labour trouble and end the strife, is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Though labour unrest has cropped up in recent times in Hyundai and some other companies, Tamil Nadu hasn’t seen militant trade unionism in a long time. The Marxist-Leninist group, which has been in the thick of the labour strife at Pricol, has been described as one which wants to achieve its goals mainly through “violent means”. The group had carried out assaults on workers keen on making peace with the management to ensure smooth running of operations, sources said.
Pricol had on Saturday dismissed 42 workers at its Kuniamuthur unit for indiscipline, saying capacity utilization had slipped to 10% as some workers were not allowing others to carry out their normal operations. “Despite constant warnings and a show cause notice, they (workers) never shaped up,” Pricol executive director Vanitha Mohan said.
Roy, an alumnus of IIM-Calcutta, was spearheading efforts to bring the operations back on track by initiating a dialogue with the agitating workers.
FATAL STRIKE
Labour strife began two years ago after Pricol transferred some workers to its Uttarakhand plant Pricol on Saturday dismissed 42 workers at its Kuniamuthur unit for “indiscipline”
Company vice-president (HR) Roy J George was initiating a dialogue with agitating workers
Roy and four colleagues were attacked by some workers on Monday. He died in a private hospital on Tuesday TIMES VIEW
Lynching managers just can't be treated on par with legitimate forms of trade union protest. Workers may have the right to protest when they feel injustice has been done to them, but they have no right to kill anyone. When a manager was similarly lynched in Noida last year, the then Union labour minister's initial reaction seemed to suggest that this distinction was lost on him and that he was almost justifying the lynching. The Tamil Nadu government must not make the same mistake in this case. Those responsible for the killing must be brought to book. Mob “justice” can't be allowed to prevail. 9 held for death of Pricol official
Coimbatore: Roy J George, vice-president (HR) of Pricol was talking to small groups, and many workers were keen on giving up the agitation. This irked the main union, top Pricol officials said.
“The workers attacked Roy using iron rods and sticks,” Coimbatore SP N Kannan said. The police arrested nine workers from the Periyanaickanpalayam unit and three workers from the Chinnamadhampalayam unit. While nine workers have been booked under Sections 302 (murder), 147 and 148 (unlawful assembly with deadly weapons with intention to cause injury) and 324 (causing injury) of the CrPC, the other three have been charged with causing damage to public property.
N Krishnamurthy, president, Kovai Maavatta Pricol Employees’ Trade Union, an estranged union of workers, is among the main accused. All the accused have been remanded in judicial custody.
The labour strife, which began after Pricol transferred a few workers to its Uttarakhand plant, has been simmering for over two years. While the company said the need for experienced hands at the new unit had prompted the move, workers alleged that a few were being targeted as they had tried to form a union.
Two unions affiliated to the All-India Council of Trade Unions went on strike in 2007 demanding recognition and withdrawal of transfer orders. The labour strife has continued ever since, impacting production in the company, which has 1,500 permanent employees and an equal number of temporary workers in Coimbatore.
About 1,000 permanent workers are associated with the union. The capacity utilization at the Coimbatore plants dropped to 33% while units in north have been operating at more than 70% of their capacities
Courtesy: TOI 23.09.2009, Chennai Edition
From India, Coimbatore
733He Was Taking Efforts To Put Factory’s Ops On Track
M Allirajan | TNN
Coimbatore: The ongoing labour strife at the city-based auto instruments maker, Pricol, took a turn for the worse on Tuesday with its vicepresident (human resources), Roy J George, dying in hospital after being attacked by striking workers.
George and four of his colleagues were assaulted by some workers at the company’s Periyanaickanpalayam unit on Monday. George (47), who suffered multiple head injuries after being allegedly attacked with iron rods, died at a private hospital in the city on Tuesday.
Roy, who joined Pricol only six months ago with the specific brief to handle the labour trouble and end the strife, is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Though labour unrest has cropped up in recent times in Hyundai and some other companies, Tamil Nadu hasn’t seen militant trade unionism in a long time. The Marxist-Leninist group, which has been in the thick of the labour strife at Pricol, has been described as one which wants to achieve its goals mainly through “violent means”. The group had carried out assaults on workers keen on making peace with the management to ensure smooth running of operations, sources said.
Pricol had on Saturday dismissed 42 workers at its Kuniamuthur unit for indiscipline, saying capacity utilization had slipped to 10% as some workers were not allowing others to carry out their normal operations. “Despite constant warnings and a show cause notice, they (workers) never shaped up,” Pricol executive director Vanitha Mohan said.
Roy, an alumnus of IIM-Calcutta, was spearheading efforts to bring the operations back on track by initiating a dialogue with the agitating workers.
FATAL STRIKE
Labour strife began two years ago after Pricol transferred some workers to its Uttarakhand plant Pricol on Saturday dismissed 42 workers at its Kuniamuthur unit for “indiscipline”
Company vice-president (HR) Roy J George was initiating a dialogue with agitating workers
Roy and four colleagues were attacked by some workers on Monday. He died in a private hospital on Tuesday TIMES VIEW
Lynching managers just can't be treated on par with legitimate forms of trade union protest. Workers may have the right to protest when they feel injustice has been done to them, but they have no right to kill anyone. When a manager was similarly lynched in Noida last year, the then Union labour minister's initial reaction seemed to suggest that this distinction was lost on him and that he was almost justifying the lynching. The Tamil Nadu government must not make the same mistake in this case. Those responsible for the killing must be brought to book. Mob “justice” can't be allowed to prevail. 9 held for death of Pricol official
Coimbatore: Roy J George, vice-president (HR) of Pricol was talking to small groups, and many workers were keen on giving up the agitation. This irked the main union, top Pricol officials said.
“The workers attacked Roy using iron rods and sticks,” Coimbatore SP N Kannan said. The police arrested nine workers from the Periyanaickanpalayam unit and three workers from the Chinnamadhampalayam unit. While nine workers have been booked under Sections 302 (murder), 147 and 148 (unlawful assembly with deadly weapons with intention to cause injury) and 324 (causing injury) of the CrPC, the other three have been charged with causing damage to public property.
N Krishnamurthy, president, Kovai Maavatta Pricol Employees’ Trade Union, an estranged union of workers, is among the main accused. All the accused have been remanded in judicial custody.
The labour strife, which began after Pricol transferred a few workers to its Uttarakhand plant, has been simmering for over two years. While the company said the need for experienced hands at the new unit had prompted the move, workers alleged that a few were being targeted as they had tried to form a union.
Two unions affiliated to the All-India Council of Trade Unions went on strike in 2007 demanding recognition and withdrawal of transfer orders. The labour strife has continued ever since, impacting production in the company, which has 1,500 permanent employees and an equal number of temporary workers in Coimbatore.
About 1,000 permanent workers are associated with the union. The capacity utilization at the Coimbatore plants dropped to 33% while units in north have been operating at more than 70% of their capacities
Courtesy: TOI 23.09.2009, Chennai Edition
From India, Coimbatore
Pricol VP dies after attack by workers
Roy George, vice president (human resource) in the Coimbatore-based Pricol Ltd, died Tuesday, a day after being attacked by company workers. Nine workers have been arrested for his death.
The Rs 633 crore turnover Pricol is a leading auto component manufacturer.
Pricol was afflicted by labour problems for some time. The issue came to a boil Monday when the company dismissed around 35 workers in one of its factories near Coimbatore.
Enraged by the news, a group of workers went on the rampage at the company's Plant I at Perianaickenpalayam, damaging computers, glass panels and other furniture.
Officials who tried to intervene were attacked, and George was hit on the head. George, 46, was admitted to a Coimbatore hospital with serious injuries. He succumbed to his injuries Tuesday.
According to the Coimbatore police, four employees - three male and one female - were injured in the attack, including George.
While three were admitted to hospital, one was treated as an outpatient Monday.
According to officials, the company does not have any immediate plans to close down the plant.
Meanwhile, shocked over the death, industry lobby Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern Region, strongly condemned the attack on George.
In a statement here, C.R. Swaminathan, chairman CII Southern Region, said any labour issue would need to be resolved through consensus only and not through violence.
Concerned with the increasing incidents of labour unrest, Swaminathan urged the Tamil Nadu government to take firm action against those who had taken law in their hands.
In his message, C.K. Ranganathan, chairman, CII-Tamil Nadu, appealed to the state government for its intervention in protecting the interests of labour and management.
When contacted by IANS, state Labour Minister T.M. Anbarasan was not available for comment on the increasing labour unrest in the state.
From India, Bangalore
Roy George, vice president (human resource) in the Coimbatore-based Pricol Ltd, died Tuesday, a day after being attacked by company workers. Nine workers have been arrested for his death.
The Rs 633 crore turnover Pricol is a leading auto component manufacturer.
Pricol was afflicted by labour problems for some time. The issue came to a boil Monday when the company dismissed around 35 workers in one of its factories near Coimbatore.
Enraged by the news, a group of workers went on the rampage at the company's Plant I at Perianaickenpalayam, damaging computers, glass panels and other furniture.
Officials who tried to intervene were attacked, and George was hit on the head. George, 46, was admitted to a Coimbatore hospital with serious injuries. He succumbed to his injuries Tuesday.
According to the Coimbatore police, four employees - three male and one female - were injured in the attack, including George.
While three were admitted to hospital, one was treated as an outpatient Monday.
According to officials, the company does not have any immediate plans to close down the plant.
Meanwhile, shocked over the death, industry lobby Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern Region, strongly condemned the attack on George.
In a statement here, C.R. Swaminathan, chairman CII Southern Region, said any labour issue would need to be resolved through consensus only and not through violence.
Concerned with the increasing incidents of labour unrest, Swaminathan urged the Tamil Nadu government to take firm action against those who had taken law in their hands.
In his message, C.K. Ranganathan, chairman, CII-Tamil Nadu, appealed to the state government for its intervention in protecting the interests of labour and management.
When contacted by IANS, state Labour Minister T.M. Anbarasan was not available for comment on the increasing labour unrest in the state.
From India, Bangalore
too sad. if you are punished for your action you should face it. "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" will not work. i never have and never do believe in Unions.
our sympathies to the family of the bereaved and hope the government will take strong action on the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
From India, Madras
our sympathies to the family of the bereaved and hope the government will take strong action on the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
From India, Madras
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