SPIL workers seek alternate employment

PURAN TAMANG
NAMCHI\: Workers at the Sikkim Precision Industry Limited, one of the three PSUs slated for closure come 01 April following the recommendation of the State Level Committee on Disinvestment/ Privatization, have not come to terms with the loss of employment facing them, the Special Financial Package being offered to them notwithstanding.
While the three PSUs in question – Sikkim Jewels and SITCO apart from SPIL – have a combined roll of 280 workers, there are 67 workers at SPIL [60 regular and 7 casual workers]. The lot at SPIL at Boomtar here maintain that they want alternative employment instead of the termination which faces them now.
The SPIL Workers Association president, Bijay Rai, said today, “The government is forcefully retiring us from our jobs. While we are not against the government, we are also worried about our collective futures and are taking recourse to our Constitutional right to place our demand for alternative employment with the Government.”

He contended that the maximum amount that the workers here will be receiving under the Special Financial Package was below Rs 6 lakhs, which, he insists, is not sufficient to secure their future.
He added that many workers have bank loans to repay, for which, this amount will not be enough, and with their employment ended, no other means to service the loans.
The SPIL Workers Association demand is demanding that the workers be provided employment in another government establishment and that the amount of around Rs. 25 crores provided by the Central government to cover the Special Financial Package, be enhanced.
DC [South], AK Singh, who is also Chairman SPIL, when contacted, informed that he was trying to work out the best possible arrangement, by way of the SFP for the SPIL employees, and insisted that the SPIL workers have been given the best assistance amongst all the PSUs that are being shut down.
He added that he had done the best he could in this regard. He informed that SPIL workers were also receiving an extra two months salary along with additional increments.