Bengaluru: If you’ve noticed the shutters down at KC Das outlets across Bengaluru over the past week, it’s because around 40 employees across five branches have gone on strike over alleged non-payment of salaries, bringing operations to a halt.KC Das, known for its sweets, savouries and canned rasgullas, once had 20 showrooms in Bengaluru. It is now down to five — on St Mark’s Road, JP Nagar, Malleswaram, Basavanagudi and Rajajinagar — amid a family and corporate governance dispute.According to Suresh M, general manager of St Mark’s Road branch, employees haven’t received salaries for over eight months. “Since a new senior manager was brought in, there has been disruption in operations. We have not received salaries since Jan. When we raised the issue with our 92-year-old director in Kolkata, we received 50% of our dues. But the remaining amount is yet to be paid,” he said.“This has led to great difficulties as many haven’t been able to afford basic necessities for their families or pay EMIs. A few women employees have even pledged their jewellery to make ends meet. We have great respect for the director and the company, which has taken care of us for so many years. But now, for our own survival, we had to take this step,” he added.Suresh said employees had been deprived of other benefits, including provident fund (PF) contributions, for the past couple of years.The employees, most of whom are from Karnataka, have approached labour department seeking help. “We received a call from an official and are waiting for further communication,” Suresh said.When TOI reached out to Shampa Chakravarty, senior manager at KC Das, there was no response.
