Is the State government trying to bulldoze its will on the employees of Mawmluh Cherra Cements Limited (MCCL).
Despite the recent assurance by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma that he would call all stakeholders including the employees before taking any final decision on the fate of MCCL, the management of the government owned company is doing otherwise.
According to the MCCL Employees Union (MCCEU), the MCCL management recently asked each employee of the plant to come to Shillong to discuss the Compensatory Scheme.
MCCEU president Shanlang Diengdoh said that the notice directing all the employees to come to Shillong was pasted on the notice board of the cement factory at Mawmluh, Sohra. He also said that the MCCEU was not given any copy of the notice.
Following the pasting of the notice, a delegation of the union met MCCL Managing Director Wanrilin A M Booth to seek clarity on the matter.
According to Diengdoh, some employees were asked to sign a paper besides their name. They were not explained about the amount of the compensatory scheme or time table of service and other details.
Meanwhile, a general body meeting of MCCEU was held at the factory premises in Mawmluh today where it was resolved to urge the management to come out with clear cut details on the matter in black and white.
“If we get a clarification on the matter in writing then we will follow procedures,” Diengdoh said.
It may be mentioned that in May, a delegation of MCCEU met the chief minister reminding him about the various pending issues related to the employees of MCCL.
During that meeting, the chief minister had said that he would call for a meeting of stakeholders in June to decide on the fate of the MCCL which the government plans to close down.
In regards to the demand for voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and golden handshake scheme, Diengdoh said that the scheme to be implemented should be for a minimum service period of ten years or above.
He said that the scheme should be accommodating to even employees whose service period is very short by introducing a special scheme for them, and if they are not willing to opt in, they should be transferred to other government departments.
The scheme offer after tabulation from the management or government can be cancelled by employees, if their expectations or the financial offer is not up to the mark, he said.
Diengdoh said that the union wanted that the scheme introduced should be in a one-time payment mode and all dues have to be cleared before the cut-off date.
MCCEU general secretary Pynskhemlang Lyngdoh said that the notice has sent the employees into panic mode since it came in the midst of the chief minister’s assurance to call the stakeholders for a detailed discussion on the fate of MCCL and its employees.
Lyngdoh said that the State government should clarify on the VRS in order to satisfy the 200 odd employees of MCCL who are now in the dark about the government’s plan for them and their future.
