PANAJI
Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate stepped in to resolve the issues of the striking workers of Verna-based consumer durable maker IFB and advised them to ‘say sorry’ and return to work.
Monserrate, who also holds the labour and employment portfolio, summoned the representative of the IFB management through the Labour Commissioner Raju Gawas and prevailed upon both sides to resolve the dispute.
“The IFB management has agreed to extend by another year their three-year contract which was to expire within the next 15 days,” Monserrate told The Goan, adding that he has asked the representative to the workers to get back to work.
Monserrate said, his basic motive to intervene was to make sure so many young Goans do not lose their jobs and also to ensure a better industrial relation scenario and image for the State.
RGP MLA Viresh Borkar had brought a group of the striking worker for a meeting, Monserrate said, adding that he decided to call the management through Gawas and explore a resolution.
Monserrate said, the workers had feared that they were being terminated by the management as their three-year contract was ending.
“They were also striking for the demand that their employment be regularised. If they continue striking, it will give the management a ruse to terminate them as trouble-makers so I stepped in and advised them to rejoin as it is agreed to extend the contract by a year,” Monserrate said.
The minister said their demand for regularising their employment can be pursued with the management in a cordial atmosphere after they rejoin, adding that it is not possible to dictate terms to the company.
Around 130 workers of the company had been striking for the last few days demanding regularisation as they feared they were being left in the cold with their contracts ending.
A recruitment process reportedly initiated by the company in Pune is what triggered the doubts among the workers that it was to replace them.
