VASCO
Workers of WISL have threatened to agitate if they are forced to vacate WISL premises ahead of settlement of dues.
WISL, which operated a floating dry dock and ship repair business at MPT, had shut operations in 2016 without paying the 350-odd workers salaries for several months, forcing them to protest and even engage in hunger strike.
The workers, who were still occupying the premises, were informed that the lease of WISL with MPT will end on April 4 and that MPT has already written to the management of WISL to submit an action plan to clear all assets.
An immediate meeting was called by WISL workers union on Saturday and union leader Ajit Singh Rane to discuss the next course of action.
In the meeting it was announced that the workers of WISL would not vacate the premises till their dues were settled. Further, they also threatened to agitate if they were forced to vacate the premises ahead of settlement. The union also decide to file an intervention petition in the company law tribunal on Monday.
WISL leader Alexander Pacheco said the workers should be provided clear information about how much they would receive from the proceeds of the auction. Pacheco also appealed to the Mormugao MLA Milind Naik to help the workers at this juncture.
“We are very peaceful as long as we are here. Our demand is that the floating dry dock should not be moved till the workers are given clear information of what we will receive from the proceeds of the auction. The government, MLA, MPT, promoter, NCLT chairman should take us into confidence and arrive at a settlement,” said Pacheco
Rane said as per industrial laws, workers had the first right of settlement recovered from assets of companies where employers or the management could not operate.
“MPT has asked to vacate the premises and hand it back to MPT. The premises have got dock, ship, equipment, buildings all over 40 crores. Ideally these assets belongs to the workers after the company fails to manage the organisation.”
Once the workers are settled and their dues are cleared, then the company can go ahead and settle any other institution. These assets are our possession now and nobody should use police or any other machinery to force us to leave,” said Rane.
