The Industrial Tribunal, Tamil Nadu, has closed the dispute between pharma giant Pfizer Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd. and a section of its workers, after the parties reached a settlement agreement. The dispute relates to closure of the company’s plant at Irungattukottai and job loss of 270 workers.
In early 2019, Pfizer decided to shut down two of its Indian manufacturing plants — Irungattukottai (Chennai) and Aurangabad (Maharashtra) — due to issues of viability. The manufacturing plants had come under Pfizer’s fold after it acquired Ospira, a provider of injectable drugs and infusion technologies in 2015.
The Podhu Thozhilalar Sangam had raised a dispute before the Deputy Commissioner of Labour, Sriperumbudur, with regard to cessation of employment of 270 workmen. Talks failed and the dispute was referred to the Industrial Tribunal, Tamil Nadu, according to court documents.
After the submission of the report, both parties said they had entered into a settlement and the claims of the members of the petitioner union had been settled, the Industrial Tribunal said.
As per the settlement reached on February 6, Pfizer paid members of the union about ₹4.67 crore. The Industrial Tribunal recorded the settlement and disposed of the case.
