Contract workers of Adani Wilmar Ltd’s refined-oil production unit in East Midnapore’s Haldia gheraoed management officials for over a day from Wednesday with their list of complaints that included “arrogant behaviour” by officials as well as “nonchalance” towards their charter of demands submitted a few months ago.

The workers aligned to Trinamul Congress trade union, INTTUC, said they had submitted the charter to authorities shortly after the Assembly polls.

Following talks among the workers, INTTUC leaders and Adani Wilmar officials, the picket ended on Thursday evening but approximately 1,000 contract workers will reportedly remain absent from the plant till disagreements are resolved. Adani Wilmar’s Haldia plant produces 1,800 metric tonnes of the Fortune brand refined oil daily. But sources said a whole day’s production was thwarted by the strike on Thursday.

“Matters have come to a head because of the high-handed attitude of management towards us,” said a protesting worker.

Sixty-five factory officials were confined to the plant from Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday morning, INTTUC district leader Tapas Maity was also heckled after the protesters accused him of being a “conspirator”.

“Our charter of demands, which included a plea for respectful behaviour as well as timely remuneration of provident fund, has all but been ignored despite the INTTUC’s assurances prior to the Assembly polls,” said striking labourer Ashish Sheth, adding that fixed salaries of Rs 18,000 had not been honoured in full for the past several months.

On Thursday, Adani Wilmar officials submitted a formal request to the Haldia labour commission seeking intervention.

District labour commissioner (personnel), Biplab Majumdar, said the joint labour commissioner would be on-site at the Adani Wilmar plant on Friday.

The INTTUC's special observer (Haldia), Sanjay Banerjee, visited the plant on Thursday with municipality chairman-in-council, Azizur Rahman and Maity for talks but no developments were reported as of Thursday evening.

Maity, instead, alleged a political conspiracy by INTTUC workers who “were actually with the BJP”. “We will take action against the persons who locked up Adani Wilmar officials overnight,” he said.

Rajat Subhra Mukherjee, deputy general manager of Adani Wilmar in Haldia, said the packaging unit was closed at 2pm on Wednesday, after which the whole plant was shut down by protestors.

“Negotiations are still in the preliminary stages, but we are hopeful work will resume on Friday. Labour issues exist in most units in this area,” he said.

In a similar development, the fertiliser factory of Indorama India Private Limited that had been similarly closed down by workers in regard to labour issues on Monday, reopened on Thursday following negotiations.