Nagpur News.
The logjam over dispute between sacked workers and management of Ankit Pulps and Boards Pvt Ltd continued on Saturday (July 5) also as office of Labour Commissioner failed to hammer out an amicable solution to the satisfaction of both parties. A joint meeting of 156 sacked workers and management of the company was called on Saturday by Assistant Labour Commissioner Savarkar. Besides the workers, company’s Director Anil Agrawal and Manager Sukhdeve attended the meeting.
According to sources, no positive decision to break the deadlock could be arrived in the meeting as both the warring parties stuck to their declared stands. The sacked workers were demanding reinstatement without any conditions. On the other hand, the company stood its ground and refused to meet workers’ demand. Finally it was decided that a team of Labour Commissioner’s office would visit Ankit Pulps and Boards Pvt Ltd on July 10 and 11 for on the spot study of various problems concerning to both company and workers.
It may be recalled, the sacked workers, including 140 women workers, have resorted to an intense agitation in front of the company situated in Bhilgaon on Kamptee Roda since the past 15 days demanding reinstatement of them.
However, the company’s Director Anil Agrawal putting his side in the meeting said that the company had never deployed such large number of workers. The company had only 40 workers out of which 22 are still working. Remaining 18 workers are in this group of 156 workers. The company will take back the 18 workers after a written bond. Those who were removed belonged to labour contractors and there were no woman workers in the company. The company is not concerned with other remaining 138 workers, Moreover, one of company’s plants has been shut for renovation purpose, said Agrawal.
On the other hand, the union leader Sonu Sharma said the company manufactures medicine powder which is used in capsules by pharmaceutical companies. It requires skilled workers but the company has been deploying unskilled workers and manufacturing the medicine powder.
After hearing the arguments put up by both the parties and no solution forthcoming, the Assistant Labour Commissioner decided to send a team from Labour Office to Ankit Pulps and Boards Pvt Ltd for on the spot study of various issues pertaining to management and workers.
