Sacked Peenya unit staff take case to labour dept

The labour department has issued a notice to multinational company Avery Dennison after it sacked 47 workers.

The company produces apparel labels and tags for leading fashion brands around the world.

According to K R Jayaram, vice president of Garment and Textile Workers Union (GAWTU), the company terminated the services of 39 workers on November 6.

"It was retaliatory in nature because the union had on October 27 demanded the reinstatement of four previously terminated employees targeted for union activities," he said.

Four more were axed after that. Some had been working in the company for more than 10 years, he told DH.

Contract workers are demanding minimum wages and regularisation of their services. The union also wants all the sacked workers reinstated.

Sacked workers and workers expressing solidarity with them called off a 10-day relay hunger strike after the Karnataka labour department slated a conciliation meeting with the management for January 16.

"If the two parties can't come to an amicable settlement, we will send the matter for adjudication," Dr C H Balakrishna, deputy labour commissioner, said.

He said the labour authorities would attempt conciliation for about a month.

Avery Dennison has filed objections against the submissions made by the union.

DH was directed to an HR representative of the company, but he did not respond.