Oct. 4: Kesoram Rayon, a part of the BK Birla Group, today announced suspension of work following a dispute over bonus at its unit in Hooghly's Kuntighat, affecting around 3,000 workers before the Pujas.

Officials said Kesoram had yesterday paid a bonus of Rs 12,800 while the workers had asked for Rs 16,800, sparking a strike. The management said the factory had incurred losses of Rs 5 crore because of the "illegal strike".

A notice under Kesoram Rayon's letterhead, which was pasted on the factory gates this morning, read: "After protracted discussion at bipartite and tripartite levels, an understanding was reached on October 1 between all the unions and the management on payment of bonus at the rate of 15.25 per cent for the accounting year 2015-16 despite heavy losses incurred by the rayon business over the past several years.

"Accordingly as agreed, the bonus amount was transferred to respective bank accounts of all eligible workmen on October 3. However, immediately thereafter, B shift from 4pm workmen of several departments struck work without prior notice resulting in complete paralysis of the entire plant.... As a result of such unilateral illegal strike by the workmen, the management is compelled to declare suspension of work," it added.

Hours after the notice was pasted, the workers blocked the railway tracks near Kuntighat station for over an hour.

Rajkumari Kashri, a BJP state vice-president leading the labourers owing allegiance to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, said: "The factory management has given us less bonus. We demand more."

The Left-backed Citu said it supported the call for more bonus but was against any strike.

"We also demand Rs 16,800 but that does not mean the factory should be closed down. They could have held negotiations with us," said Kumud Ranjan Mahato, the Citu general secretary at the plant.

The Congress's labour arm, Intuc, too, did not support the strike.

Subdivisional officer Sudip Sarkar chaired a meeting this evening with the four recognised unions (Intuc, INTTUC, Citu and Aituc), the management and local Trinamul MLA Asim Maji.

Coming out of the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, Sarkar said: "We have urged the management to keep the factory open during the Pujas."

Pradip Dutta, the chief personnel officer of the factory, said: "The SDO has requested us to reopen the factory. I will inform the board of directors."

Officials of Kesoram Industries, of which the rayon factory is a part, did not say when the unit could be reopened. #"We have clearly mentioned the reason behind the closure of the plant. Why did the strike happen despite the discussions at the bipartite and tripartite meetings? We cannot say at this point when the matter will be resolved," said Tridib Kumar Das, chief financial officer of Kesoram Industries.