Ranchi: Officers and employees have been agitating in Heavy Engineering Corporation Limited (HEC) for the last 24 days. Production at the company’s FFP, HMTP and HMBP is at a standstill. Work is not happening even at the corporation headquarters.
Under the banner of HEC Bachao Mazdoor Jan Sangharsh Samiti, employees are protesting daily in front of the corporation headquarters. Employees are demanding their outstanding salaries. They are talking about renewing the contracts of contract workers. But the top management officials do not seem to be serious about the demands of the employees.
For the second day on February 9, talks between the management and the union delegation took place at the HEC headquarters. From the management side, Professional Director AK Behera, Production Director SD Singh and other officers were present in the talks.
The officers told the delegation that the employees should return to work. Their outstanding salary will be paid as soon as it arrives. The contracts of contract workers will also be renewed.
On this, the labor leaders included in the delegation said that the workers want to work. But now work will not be done without a salary.
The delegation said in the talks that the management should give written assurance that the outstanding salary of one month will be paid in February and the management should decide on which day the salary will be paid every month.
The contracts of contract workers should be renewed. From August 2023, money of contract workers will not be deposited under other items including ESI. The dues of contract workers should be deposited regularly. he workers’ agitation will end only if the management gives written assurance regarding salary payment, renewal of contract workers.
The management sought time from the labor organizations for written assurance, but till the time of writing the news, written assurance was not given. After which the workers’ movement intensified. There are currently about 1600 contract workers in HEC. Whose contract has expired. HEC management is making a new policy regarding contract workers.
Under this policy, HEC will enter into a management contract with the contractor. Under that contract, 1600 contract workers will not come to HEC every day. Management will demand contract workers as per requirement. According to the demand, the contractor will send contract workers to the plant.
Right now no one from the management is ready to speak regarding this policy. And no one is confirming it. The management believes that at present the situation of the company is not like before, in such a situation, calling more contract workers in the factory instead of permanent employees and making them sit without work is like raising a white elephant. With the new contract policy, contract workers will also get daily work, and the company will save crores of rupees.