Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: The contractual workers employed in Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research), Canal Road, Jammu organized a protest demonstration under the banner of CITU in front of the office of Controlling Officer Administration against dismissal of 17 workers (Gang Labourers) working for more than ten years.
A large number of workers gathered in front of the office of Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines holding red flags, banners and placards in their hands and started shouting slogans against illegal termination of poor workers.
While addressing the agitating workers, Om Parkash, general secretary, State CITU said that at least 145 workers are employed on contractual basis at Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines and majority of them have been working for more than 10 to 20 years. He further added that these workers have been grossly exploited by the management as the benefits of various social security schemes like EPF & ESI and Group Insurance are not provided to the workers since the date of their joining of employment, the workers are not properly covered by other related Labour Laws such as, overtime, minimum wages, maternity benefits to female workers etc.
He said that for properly enforcement of Labour Laws and against illegal suspension of workers at workplace the workers union has submitted their case before Regional Labour Commissioner (C)-Jammu for adjudication and in turn the management have thrown 17 workers out of their jobs. He demanded that all workers should be reinstated on their jobs immediately failing which the workers will go on complete strike.
Ramesh Chander, senior leader of NZEA said that termination of workers is totally illegal because their case is sub-judice. He said that Labour Laws are more violated than implemented, these contract workers are employed in permanent jobs and there is a total violation of Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition ) Act, around 50% of the workers in PSU and Govt Sector are contract workers but they have been denied even statutory minimum wages and social security benefits like EPF, ESI, Insurance etc.
HD Bhomick, president of Industrial Estate Workers Union said that Dr Suresh Chandra, who is the incharge of Chatha Research Laboratory under whom above said 17 workers were working had asked the workers not to attend the duty from April 2, 2017, while it is the duty of principal employer to regulate the service conditions of the contract labour.
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