The dispute between the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) members and a shop owner in Mathamangalam, who was forced to close down his shop following an indefinite strike called by headload workers, has been resolved. The shop will reopen on Tuesday.
The decision was taken after the union and the shop owner came to an agreement at a meeting organised by the Labour Commissioner in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
The shop, SR Associates, which started functioning on August 2 last year, was closed after the owners alleged that the protesting headload workers affiliated to the CITU were not allowing them to do business and were threatening and assaulting the customers coming to the shop.
High Court order
Earlier, they had got an order from the High Court to employ their own workers to load and unload goods at their shop. They approached the court citing that the porters were demanding nokkukuli (notional wages).
However, as the matter gained publicity, Labour Minister V. Sivankutty directed Labour Commissioner S. Chithra to hold a meeting to settle the matter.
As per the settlement, the CITU worker will unload the goods coming in lorries while workers having 26A card in the shop will load all the other goods.
Closed since Dec. 23
It was also agreed that the protest tent in front of the shop would be demolished. The ban would also be lifted. The shop has been closed since December 23 last.
Mr. Sivankutty said this was an isolated incident. However, there was an attempt to exaggerate the incident and disturb the working environment in the State.
