BackBajaj Auto offers six-day pay to Akurdi workers
Bajaj Auto offers six-day pay to Akurdi workers
PTI
Mobor, Goa: More than a week after Bajaj Auto (BAL) drew curtains on its 45-year-old unit in Akurdi near Pune, the company seems to have hit a cordial note with workers, by offering them six-day pay instead of the earlier five-and-a-half-day wages.
The company took the decision of paying workers six days a week salary after Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who represents Akurdi area (Baramati constituency) in Lok Sabha, intervened in the matter.
BAL managing director Rajiv Bajaj met state’s political leadership on 8 September to discuss the issue. Maharashtra Labour Minister Ganesh Naik, representatives of the Bhartiya Kamgar Sena (BKS), the Shiv Sena’s workers’ wing, Vishwa Kalyan Kamgar Sanghatna and officials of the labour ministry attended the meeting.
“The Minister asked the company to pay six days a week wages to workers and asked the union to revoke its petition. We have unconditionally and immediately accepted the request. It was an excellent meeting and Pawar was fair in hearing the views of all parties involved," Bajaj told reporters here.
“There is no VRS for Akurdi workers. Bajaj has such a scheme but it is not being introduced at Akurdi," he said.
He said if the union, after further deliberation, comes up with some other measures, which the company has not thought of, to compensate the workforce, it will be considered. The company may even consider VRS if its one of the suggested measures, he added.
Bajaj said even if the government revoked octroi, the plant would still be unviable for manufacturing. He said the firm was not considering to use the land any other way.
“We are not considering to use the land at Akurdi plant for either real estate business or for setting up an IT park," he said.
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