UTI disputes labour commissioner's role in staff row; talks on September 8

MUMBAI: The deputy chief labour commissioner will hear the plea of UTI Asset Management's employees on September 8 even as the UTI management differs on the jurisdiction of the labour authority.

Labour commissioner R Venkatswarlu posted the issue for hearing next month after the UTI management did not turn up for hearing on Tuesday. Asset manager UTI said a board meeting and the annual general meeting prevented its representatives from attending the meet.

" UTI Trustee Company had its Board meeting and AGM on the 23rd of August 2011 and therefore UTI AMC representative could not meet the Hon'ble Dy Chief Labour Commissioner," said TN Radhakrishna, the fund's head of human resources.

UTI, which is headless for more than six months, is facing staff strife on alleged discrimination among some staff in terms of pay increases and transfers to remote locations.

After the affected employees served a strike notice under the banner of All India UTI Officers Association the chief labour commissioner set up conciliation proceedings between the association's representatives.

In a separate letter before Tuesday's meeting, UTI had said that its officers' grievances do not fall under the Industrial Disputes Act.

"The [striking] officers are not covered by the provisions of the ID Act," TN Radhakrishna had written in a letter, since they are not categorised as 'workmen'. "Therefore holding of conciliation proceedings or taking any step by any Authority under the ID Act would be without jurisdiction."