Suzlon in Padubidri announces lock out

Mangalore Today News Network

Padubidri, Nov 15 2017: The unexpected lock out of Suzlon Company Energy Limited at Padubidri came as a surprise for the staff who came to work on  Nov 14,Tuesday morning.

The company, located in Padubidri, has alleged that the loss and also GST implications were reasons for its decision on lock out. There are more than 600 workers employed at the firm. However, the company’s decision to stop functioning was a shock to the employees as it is unexpected.  The notice was issued at around 3 am, where the Company put up a notice announcing its decision to shut down.

Following the decision, nearly 600 employees, of whom 326 employees worked on a regular basis and the remaining were on contract, were deeply shocked.

Earlier, the company had thrown out more than 700 employees.  Following protest and agitation, the company decided to take back nearly 200 employees. The company had taken the decision on lock out under the Industrial Disputes Act of 1947, Section 22 and Sub-section 2.

The notice served will come into force from November 29. Besides, all the activities are stopped with immediate effect  according to the notice.

SEZ area :  The company was set up at the Special Economic Zone, which is the unit of energy manufacturing company Aspon Infrastructure Limited. Suzlon was initially set up for producing wind machinery.

The other reason cited by the company for the decision is the reluctance of the labourers to cooperate and also illegal activities of the labourers. The notice is signed by the Suzlon plant head Dakshinamurthy.

The company had already sent the night duty labourers out on Monday as a preparatory measure. The answer to the labourers’ question was that the night activity at the company is stopped to save power.  Following the lock out announced by the firm, the labourers staged a protest rally.


Lockout is illegal, says Udupi DC ;  Deputy Commissioner  :  Udupi DC  Priyanka Mary Francis held a meeting with the representatives of the company management, labour leaders, leaders of political parties and police on the issue of lockout by SEL rotor blade manufacturing unit at the District Offices Complex here on Nov 14, Tuesday.


Speaking to media DC Francis said that the administration had told the company management that its decision to announce a lockout without a 14-day notice to the workers was illegal. It was against the principles of natural justice. She had also spoken to the Labour Secretary who told her that the permission of the government also had to be taken.

She said that since the rotor blade unit was located in the Suzlon SEZ, the matter did not come under the jurisdiction of the Labour Commissioner here but the SEZ Development Commissioner based in Kochi, Kerala. She had called the SEZ Development Commissioner and urged him to send a team headed by an Additional Commissioner to the site soon to resolve the issue.