VASCO: On behalf of Sesa Sterilite M V Orissa workers Union, the Goa Trade Union Confederation (GTUC) President Ajitsingh Rane on Friday threatened to launch a statewide protest if the issues of contract workers onboard M V Orissa Transshipper are not addressed.
A protest demonstration by the workers was also held below the Sesa Sterilite office in Vasco on Friday.
According to Rane, 24 employees including 16 crane operators and eight loader operators were rendering most specialised service and were working onboard M V Orissa Transshipper for the last more than 19 years.
However, Rane said, after the mining ban, to ease the burden on the company, these 24 workers entered into a memorandum of understanding with the company whereby they accepted a very meager amount of compensation on condition that the management would continue with their services once the mining activities and the business of the company recommenced.
He said that now after company started its business, with the mala fide intention to avoid regularisation as well as confirmation of their long service, the company management through a contractor offered to engage their services on daily wage basis. Rane called the action of the company as bad in law, as such it was strongly objected to by the workmen at their general body meeting.
“We have already approached Central and State government authorities with a request that they should intervene in the matter as the employer has started employing illiterate, untrained, migrant workmen from other States thereby denying rightful employment to the sons of soil,” Rane said.
If the issues of these workers are not resolved by the authorities concerned, Rane said, they would have no other alternative than coming on the street in force.
