The management of English Indian Clays Ltd. (EICL) has announced that the company is prepared to provide an interim payment to the workforce as advance.
Permanent employees would be paid ₹25,000 and contractual employees, ₹10,000, in two instalments, the EICL management said in a statement on Thursday.
“The trade unions had been demanding an interim payment to the employees at Veli due to the ongoing suspension in work, owing to the low market demand and loss of market share. This decision was taken after the suggestions put forward by the Industries Minister, Labour Minister and the Cooperation Minister at the discussion that took place on January 20,” the statement said. The company said it expected to sell sand tailings at Veli at the earliest to manage funds for disbursing the money to the workers.
The management also expressed hope that the market might start showing signs of revival by July or August.
The employees had launched an indefinite stir after the company downed its shutters in August last year citing losses and acute shortage of raw material. Although operations were partially restarted at the Thonnackal unit, the Kochu Veli unit remains shut.
On January 2, a contractual employee was found hanging on the company premises, triggering a fresh wave of protests. Following this, the State government had convened meetings with the management representatives and the EICL trade unions.
