ASDLF reiterates commitment to labour issues, meets protesting pharma-company workers

GANGTOK, 04 March: The All Sikkim Democratic Labour Front convened a meeting with the protesting workers of Cipla, Zydus, Indicom and Alchem pharmaceutical units yesterday to discuss various issues facing them. The meeting, an SDF press release informs, decided to follow up on whether the industrial units have worked for the benefit of local employees and on what measured they had initiated on the ultimatum served to them by the ASDLF a month back. If these units are found wanting in their response to the 19-point charter of demands submitted by the ASDLF, a more concerted movement will be launched to make them come around, the release adds.

The press communiqué, issued by the SDF publicity secretary, Amber Rai, further informs that this state-wide movement had started on 02 February in which the front has demanded that all the points listed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the State government by these industrial units be fulfilled.
When the deadline lapsed, workers at Cipla went on strike on 01 March, in follow-up of which, he ASDLF called a meeting with them yesterday, it is informed.
The front plans to continue its movement until all the industrial units deliver on every commitment made in the MoUs, the release states.
Even the Chief Minister, the SDF party president, Pawan Chamling, recently directed party workers to work for the people and workers of Sikkim at the recently held central working committee meeting of the party on 28 February, the release adds.
The meeting with the pharma company workers was attended by the ASDLF vice-president, BM Ramudamu, general secretary Norzang Lepcha, legal advisor CB Tamang and publicity secretary Manoj Gupta along with the secretary of the student’s front, Kabita Subba, secretary of Cheli Morcha, Kalpana Moktana and youth front member, Arun Tamang, the release informs.