Jobless despite court order,staff plan hunger strike

The group of workers wrote a letter to the labour commissioner on Friday in this regard. The workers had earlier approached the Disability Commissioner complaining about violation of their rights under the Equal Opportunity Act 1995.

The firm had suspended them in December 2009,following which the workers had submitted their representation to the Commissioner.

Advocate Vaishali Sarin,representing the workers,said the Pune district labour court had given an order in their favour last year. “Despite the order,the company refuses to reinstate the workers. We had even approached the disability commissioner and now the labour commissioner. The workers have no way out other than an agitation that will further be intensified to a hunger strike.”

The employees have been working with the company since the last five to six years.

The firm has been into auto ancillary products for 30 years and has nearly 500 employees. It had employed the workers in its punching unit. They had been working since 2005.

The workers,who are part of the MNS’s Maharashtra Navnirman Kamgar Union,had clashed with the firm’s officials earlier too.

The company officials said the workers were suspended and a probe was being conducted. Director of the firm’s Human Resources department Dilip Tilekar had said the employees were not doing any work and were suspended for gross misconduct. “A committee is to conduct the probe. They would be given a chance for their say,” he said.

However,these employees will continue to get their pay till the probe is completed and hearing of the case is conducted,he added.

Sarin,however,maintained that workers had been doing good work. “I am the sole breadwinner of the family. It would be very difficult to find another job soon,” said one of the suspended workers.