the goan I network
VASCO
Employees laid off from the Western India Shipyard Limited (WISL) have demanded clarity in the liquidation of assets and the share due to them from liquidation.
The workers have threatened to agitate and have warned of blocking any further movement of assets of liquidation, if the appointed liquidator fails to give details of the share due to workers during the liquidation process.
At a meeting in the WISL premises, the workers interacted with the liquidator, Om Prakash Kanungo, in the presence of their trade union leader, Ajit Singh Rane.
Speaking to the media, Rane said the liquidator must work in the best interest of workers and should be neutral as far as settling different claims and generating proceeds from the sale of movable and immovable assets.
A message was also sent out that the PF component of workers had been released.
“The (liquidation) proceedings have caused unrest among workers due to a lack of transparency. The workers have decided not to cooperate with the authority till their full claims are settled,” said Rane.
Kanungo stated that the claims was admitted and not settled.
“Claims are admitted but we are yet to know how much proceeds would be generated after the liquidation is done. The insolvency expense will be cleared first, then banks and workers will be settled.”
“After that comes the creditors and people whose service bills are pending. There are a lot of people who have given services and stocks worth crores to WISL and they are also in the list. We have to act per laws set up. However, not one rupee has been received yet from the liquidation,” said Kanungo.
WISL union leader Alexander Pacheco claimed they were told that 85% of the share would go to the banks.
“What will we get if banks take 85%? We have asked the liquidator why were we not given PF and gratuity, but he said he would get back to us after asking court and is not giving clarity.”
“PF and gratuity is our right and we will decide our next step soon. We have decided to serve an 8-day time frame to get clarity, failing which we will unite in the yard and come on the roads,”
warned Pacheco.
