Where’ll we go, who will employ us? Govt can’t leave us and our families in the lurch: HMT employees

After submitting a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Singh Brar, the workers concluded the march.

At the protest rally by HMT employees at Pinjore on Tuesday. Sahil Walia

AFTER WALKING for over 13 km in the scorching sun on the Kalka-Panchkula stretch of the National Highway 22, as 1,000 employees of the Pinjore’s Hindustan Machines Tool (HMT) factory stood facing the police barricade in Sector 2, Panchkula, their emotions swung between hope and despair.

“We have been struggling to save our livelihood for over two years. HMT is our livelihood. In all these years, we have only been given false assurances. But we still hope that one day the factory will run again. So, we continue to wait,” said Surinder Singh, who works in the tractor unit.

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The employees have not received their salaries for the last two years. While workers in tractor division have been waiting for the last 19 months, those in machines tool division have not received their salaries for the last 10 months. The factory is incurring losses and is on the verge of closure, but the employees continue to wait.

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“Where will we go and who will employ us? Most of us have completed over 25-30 years of service here. The government cannot leave us and our families in the lurch,” said Om Prakash, one of the employees.

After submitting a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Singh Brar, the workers concluded the march. Huddled in one large group, they sat on the ground in Major Sandeep Shankla Memorial Park, Sector 2, and they ate food.

“Almost all the employees have taken loans from societies on 5-10 per cent interest. Many have even mortgaged jewellery items. All resources have been exhausted now,” said Purshottam Nayak, transport officer in the tractor unit.

Mohan Lal from Sales and Service Supervisor Training Centre said, “Children of 60 per cent of employees are in colleges. We withdrew our fixed deposits to fund higher education of our children.”

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The workers highlight that they have also been deprived of various employment benefits despite years of service. “No more LIC benefit or health insurance. One of our colleagues, Dharam Pal, in the tractor division died yesterday after illness, because the family could not afford his better treatment,” said Kuldeep Singh, from power distribution in tractor division.

Later, the workers returned to Pinjore to attend the last rites of their Joint General Manager Kamaljeet Singh Nagi who had committed suicide by jumping off a 40-foot-high water tower on factory premises on Monday. “We will attend his last rites. His suicide has shaken us all. Each of us is facing so many problems due to this financial crisis. The government should listen to us now,” said Balbir Singh, another worker.

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