Pune: 900 Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd staff await pending salary

Arun Borhade, vice president of Hindustan Antibiotics Mazdoor Sangh (HAMS), said the Union government has expressed its willingness to clear the dues of ailing HAL’s employees. “But they are yet to pay the due,” he said.

Borhade said, “Every employee is getting only 25 per cent of his or her basic salary, a lump sum of at least Rs 5,000-8,000 every month, which is insufficient for them to survive in today’s world.”

He added, “The employees have co-operated with the management and generated Rs 42 crore of production as of January 31 without adequate capital but it’s high time that the management and the government should understand the seriousness of the situation and take immediate action.”

One of the employees said that the government had cleared salaries in 2016 but hasn’t taken any concrete decision after that.

“If the situation continues, people will distrust the government and in the upcoming elections will opt for ‘none of the above’ choice,” he said.

The wife of a HAL employee said, “Most of the employees are on the verge of retirement and at this stage, where others are financially stable, we are facing crisis and have to do other work to manage expenses.”