Three years after commencing production, the State-run Kerala Paper Products Limited (KPPL) in Velloor is facing a fresh challenge with its workers threatening to go on strike, raising a series of demands.
As part of the protest, employees affiliated with all major trade unions, including the Left-backed CITU and AITUC, are set to stage a token strike on Wednesday, with the possibility of an indefinite strike to follow. Their primary demand is the permanent recruitment of 180 workers who were part of the company under its previous management but have since been re-hired on a contract basis.
“It has been three years since KPPL began operations, yet the Industries Department has failed to honour its promise of absorbing these employees permanently. We have repeatedly raised the issue with the Industries Minister and senior officials, but nothing has been done,” said Philip Joseph, president of the INTUC Kottayam district unit.
He also criticiSed the government for failing to address workers’ concerns despite positioning KPPL as a flagship of its alternative industrial development model. “Apart from their monthly salary, employees receive no additional benefits,” he added.
The unions are also calling for the modernisation of the factory to ensure full-scale production. “Most of the machinery, inherited from the erstwhile Hindustan Newsprint Limited (HNL), is outdated and in poor condition. Without substantial investment in modernization, the company’s future looks bleak,” warned the member of a left -backed union.
Taking serious note of the situation, Industries Department Principal Secretary A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish held discussions with union representatives on Monday and requested additional time until February 22 to consider their demands. However, the unions have yet to decide whether to postpone the strike.
“We will decide on whether to go ahead with the token strike only after reviewing the minutes of our meeting with Mr. Hanish,” said a CITU leader.
Meanwhile, company officials remain optimistic about resolving the issue. “Discussions are ongoing, and we expect to reach a final decision on the workers’ demands soon,” said a senior official.
KPPL, formerly known as Hindustan Newsprint Limited, was on the verge of liquidation when the Kerala government acquired the unit with a ₹146 crore bid approved by the National Company Law Tribunal. The State later outlined a four-phase revival plan, and operations resumed under the new identity of KPPL in January 2022.
Published - February 03, 2025 08:21 pm IST
