PANJIM: In a major victory to the employees, the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has directed Sesa Mining Corporation Limited (SMCL) not to retrench their 313 workmen employed at Bicholim and other iron ore mining sites.
Kalpana Rajsinghot, joint secretary (industrial relations) of the Union Ministry, has passed an order on October 21 in a review petition filed by the Employees Union of the Sesa Mining Corporation.
Though, the authority noted that the Union had no ‘normal merit’ for interference in its order dated September 1, that allowed SMCL to retrench the staff, the authority ‘on its own’ finds merit to review its earlier order for ‘sake of justice’.
“Accordingly, the permission for retrenchment of 313 workmen, with effect from October 5, 2022, granted to SMCL, vide order dated September 1, 2022 is hereby withdrawn. The applicant is not permitted to retrench its 313 workmen employed at Bicholim and other iron ore mines,” the order stated.
The order comes almost a fortnight after the Bombay High Court at Goa disposed off a petition filed by the Union challenging the September 1 order while directing the Joint Secretary to decide on the Union’s renew application filed on September 30, challenging the retrenchment, as expeditiously as possible and before October 31.
During the hearing, the Authority was informed about the fact that the SMCL mine at Bicholim is put up for e-auction and that the bidding process may be finalised by December, this year.
The iron ore mining industry in the State is shut since March 2018.
