KAPP ignores CAT, sacks 20 labourers

However, authorities adopted a vindictive posture, terminating services of active members and asking other labourers to report only four days a week for work, substantially reducing their wages and thereby also trying to prove that the plant has surplus workforce, claimed Chaudhary. Nearly 200 contract labourers have been working in the plant since 1987, performing jobs both in radioactiveand non-active areas.

Even KAPP authorities admit that the work these contract labourers perform is necessary for the establishment and without which the main function of the plant cannot be continued.8220; Yet we are deprived of equal treatment in terms of wages, allowances and other benefits accruing to regular employees of the plant8221;, Chaudhary pleaded with Regional labour commissioner, Ahmedabad, in a letter.

In fact, KAPP authorities are unhappy with the fact that the workers association approached CAT and sought its intervention in regularisation of their services.

While granting interim relief against arbitrary retrenchment/ termination and directing the KAPP authorities to maintain status quo, the CAT advised the association to approach the High Court which directed the Central Government to look into 8220;working of KAPP8217;s contract labour system8221;.

Following the court directive, the government constituted a committee to look 8220;into the question of abolition of contract labour in the establishmentof KAPP and recommendation whether or not the employment of contract labour be prohibited.8221;

But when the three-member committee, comprising secretary Indian National Mine Workers Federation Shankar Das, director Coal India Ltd C H Khisty and Regional Labour Commissioner S S Mundra, visited KAPP on February 20, only some pro-management workers were asked to depose before the committee. 8220;We were not allowed to meet committee members,8221; Chaudhary alleged.

When contacted, Regional Labour Commissioner Ahmedabad S S Mundra who was the convenor of the committee said he had sent the report to the Central Advisory Contract Labour Board. He, however, refused to divulge the contents of the report.

When specifically asked whether the committee met the contract labourers who are demanding abolition of contract system and regularisation of their service, Mundra prevaricated the issue saying that the committee was given a certain job which it has done.

The committee, in its report recommended that contractlabourers employed inside the plant for housekeeping and material handling should be paid wages equal to that earned by regular employees in conformity with the principles of equal pay for equal work.

The Committee advised the management of KAPP to 8220;pay contract labourers employed inside their plant equal amount to the lowest paid departmental employee with guaranteed number of working days8221;. Reacting to the committee8217;s recommendation, chief superintendent of KAPP R Bhiksham said 8220;such decisions have to be taken in all atomic power plants. We alone cannot take the decision. The decision is to be taken by the government which the contract labourers are awaiting.

The KAPP authorities also sought to give the impression that they did not direct security guards to ban Chaudhary8217;s entry inside the plant on March 19. 8220;He just stopped coming. Probably he does not want to work8221;, Belayubhan explained when asked about Chaudhary.

Chaudhary, however, told The Indian Express that authorities asked him tosurrender his entry pass8217;. Security guards told him that the authorities had asked them not to allow Chaudhary inside the plant.8221; It was only after the authorities discovered that he was working inside the plant and involved in trade union activities that they decided to ban my entry, he added.

Incidentally, the other day when this reporter visited the plant, Chaudhary had accompanied him. But after some time he was asked to leave. He was told that his entry was banned inside the plant. If he stayed, he would be arrested.