Unpaid Salaries of Sugar Factory Workers

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Brahmavara, 23 April 2012: The workers of the Brahmavara Cooperative Sugar Facroty which has been closed down due to financial crisis have now some hope of getting their unpaid salaries now. The Labour Deputy Commissioner has instructed the District Deputy commissioner to collect the outstanding salaries from the Management Committee as the outstanding tax and pay it to the workers. Now the ball is in the court of the Deputy commissioner.

 
The only Sugar Factory of the coastal area was established from the capital finance from the cooperative societies. At a time this was a great hope of the farmers of the undivided S.K. district, but due to wrong decisions it incurred crores of rupees loses. Six years ago the Factory closed down without paying the salaries of several months to the workers making them unemployed, without paying the farmers who supplied the sugar cane and without returning the capital amount to the cooperative societies.

 

 

 
Later the ministers from the district and the MLA’s gave assurances of reestablishing this factory, but it is proven that the assurances were false. Though the factory was given to the private parties to run, they backed off due to issues, causing the hope of the workers and the farmers of getting their outstanding payment, fade away. Already more than 20 persons have lost their lives waiting for the pending salaries. The rest are suffering by borrowing loans hoping to get their dues. The petitions given to the national – state leaders, the protests, black flag display to the leaders, have not helped in getting their payments.

 
At last the case was filed in High Court, and in 2011 itself the court had ruled giving instructions to the government to pay the dues to the workers immediately. But even though a year passed the government has not complied to the instruction.

 
Having no other option, the workers now complained to the Deputy Labour Commissioner, who conducted the enquiries on 23rd March and have instructed the District Deputy commissioner to collect the tax from the Management Committee and pay to the workers the outstanding amount rupees 780 lakhs. Deputy Commissioner has the complete right to collect the taxes. But whether he wishes to exercise that right, will he show the courage to overcome all the political pressure and will he implement the judgment of the Labour Deputy commissioner, will have to be waited and seen.

 
Already the court had given instruction to the Factory Management committee to pay the dues to the workers along with the interest. But the Management Committee has not honoured the instruction of the High Court. When the workers asked them, they said ‘the instruction is from the court, so take the payment from there itself’.

 
On this the workers have again filed the case against the Management Committee for violating the court order and the court has issued the notice to the Management Committee to give the reply within 10 days, says the Sugar Factory Workers Union President S. Bhaskar Shetty and Secretary S. Kumar.