Srinivasan facilitates new wage pact of CMA, trade unions

The MoU was reached between CMA and the representatives of Central Trade Unions in Chennai on January 21, this year. It will be converted into Memorandum of Settlement before the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), New Delhi in due course. In all, 21 cement companies, which covered 60 per cent of country’s total cement capacity including: India Cements, Ultra Tech, Ramco Cements, Dalmia Cement, Chettinad Cement. Zuari Cement, JK Lakshmi Cement and Century Cement had authorised CMA to negotiate with the Trade Unions on behalf of them.

The present MoU is for a duration of four years from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2022. The MoU provides for an increase of Rs 5, 000/- per month in the Gross Pay of cement employees (to be paid in two instalments of Rs 2,500 each with effect from April 1, 2018 and April 1, 2020). The MoU also provides for enhanced Dearness Allowance, Service Weightage benefits and other benefits. Arrears for 10 months will be paid in two instalments.

N Srinivasan, VC-MD, India Cements, has been spearheading the negotiations on behalf of CMA, for the past 26 years (since 1992) and helped in amicably concluding seven out of the eight wage settlements for the cement industry including the current MOU. This has helped in maintaining industrial peace and cordial relations between the management and workmen in the cement industry.

He said, “The cement industry is facing many challenges. Not all regions are prosperous. Limestone deposits are available only in 7 states. The industry had faced weak demand in the last seven years. It is left to face enormous cost pressure. At the same time, cement industry has been a benevolent employer. The national level, industry-wide settlement since 1992 is unique as it is collective bargaining in its truest sense as the management and the unions sit across the table and then it is signed before the Central Chief Labour Commissioner in New Delhi. This has assured industrial peace in the industry in the last 26 years.” The negotiation committee was headed by N Srinivasan, who was also the past President of CMA. The talks were co-ordinated by KK Maheshwari, MD, UltraTech Cement, Mahendra Singhi, Group CEO & Whole Time Director, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd and President, CMA, HM Bangur, MD, Shree Cement Ltd, Dr S Chouksey, Group CEO & Whole Time Director, JK Lakshmi Cement and immediate past President, CMA, Rupa Gurunath, Whole Time Director, India Cements and Aparna Dutt Sharma, Secretary General, CMA.