HYDERABAD, Dec 9: The Mazdoor Union, Faran Sugar Mills, Shaikh Bhirkio, has warned if the mill workers are retrenched or the union office-bearers arrested, consequences will be serious.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Sunday, the president of the union, Abdul Latif Katiyar, and the general secretary, Abdul Karim Mangwano, said the workers were to be paid their November salary before Eid but factory general manager Riaz Javed Suleri refused to disburse the salary.

They said the workers staged a demonstration on Dec 3 and demanded they should be paid their salary but, he alleged, the general manager ordered chief security officer Wali Mohammad Baloch and private security staff to resort to baton-charge and aerial firing to disperse the workers.

They said the workers also retaliated by throwing stones as a result the general manager and the chief security officer received minor injuries.

They said taluka Nazim Irshad Shah and the deputy district police officer arrived at the spot and it was decided to settle the issue on Dec 9.

They, however, expressed apprehensions the union leaders might be arrested and dismissed from service and many workers might also be retrenched.

They said this would affect the crushing season.

The union leaders said they were prepared to sign an agreement under which peaceful conditions would be guaranteed.