Team Herald
PONDA: The workers of Wallace Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd at Nirankal road Bethora on Tuesday protested against the management for closing its production unit there and launching the same in Himachal Pradesh.
After closing the Goa unit, the company transferred 86 permanent workers to Himachal Pradesh and issued them orders to join duty there.
Calling the transfer as a trick to force them leave their jobs, the workers have served a two-day ultimatum on the management and government to restart the Goa unit and settle their pending wage increment. Failing which, the workers have threatened to launch fast unto death agitation.
Labour leader and President of Bhartiya Majdur Sangh Hridaynath Shirodkar said the closure of the unit would render 185 workers, including 86 permanent employees, jobless; as such, the government should interfere in the matter on behalf of the workers.
He said the appointment letters of the workers do not have any transfer clause, as such, transferring them to Himachal Pradesh, which is around 1200 km far away from Goa, is a breach of employment terms.
He alleged that before closing the Goa unit and transferring the workers to Himachal Pradesh, the company took into confidence neither the workers nor the government.
