BMS urges Centre to regularise NLC contract workers

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, BJP's trade union wing, today urged the Centre to regularise the contract workers at the Public Sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation.
In a memorandum to Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Pon Radhakrishnan today, BMS said "it is just and reasonable that those contract workmen employed for more than 25 years require to be regularised as permanent employees as per a Supreme Court direction".
Pointing out that since 1997, employees were not appointed on a permanent basis in the NLC and more than 5000 vacancies have been left unfilled, the work is being done by workers on contract, V Murugan, General Secretary, BMS, Neyveli, said in the memorandum, copies of which were released to the media.

In 2013 itself, the Supreme Court had directed regularisation of contract workmen in NLC on the basis of seniority, he noted.
"The contract workers are exploited by paying low wages. It is imperative to pay minimum wages on a par with (regular) employees which is Rs.28,000 in addition to perks a month," he appealed and also urged the Centre to provide gratuity.