JUDGMENT

P. Sathasivam, J.

1) Leave granted.

2) These appeals are directed against the final judgments and orders dated 20.06.2008 and 25.08.2008 passed by the High Court at Calcutta in CPAN No. 539 of 2002 and MAT No. 519 of 2008 respectively whereby the High Court dismissed the contempt application and the appeal filed by the appellants herein - employees/workers of Philips India Ltd.

3) Brief facts:

(a) The appellants are the employees/workers of Philips India Ltd. (in short ‘the Company’) having its Registered office at No. 7, Justice Chandra Madhab Road, Calcutta and its Consumer Electronics Factory at Salt Lake City, Calcutta. In the year 1997, the Company introduced Voluntary Retirement Scheme (in short “VRS”) for its workmen and majority of them opted for and accepted the same. On 30.09.1998, the Company entered into an Agreement for Sale of its Consumer Electronics Factory at Salt Lake City with Kitchen Appliances India Limited, a subsidiary of Videocon International Ltd. as a going concern together with all assets and liabilities. Vide letter dated 12.10.1998, the Company informed the Secretary of Workers’ Union about having signed the agreement and also withdrew the Vol