New promotion policy causing monetary loss to employees: HS Mishra

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, Aug 01: The new promotion policy which has been implemented by Bhilai Steel Plant management after signing agreement with the Recognised Trade Union – Steel Employees Union (INTUC) will incur monetary loss to the employees. The agreement sans provisions which could have been included to benefit the employees.
Condemning the recognised trade union, veteran labour leader HS Mishra has said that after winning the election, acquiring the Health Centre building for establishing its office was the only achievement of Steel Employees Union (INTUC).
After receiving this favour, the union is not in a position to demand anything more from the management for employees. Just before the retirement, the Union’s General Secretary compromised for promotion policy to save his nose and signed an agreement which is not in the interest of the employees.
Mishra said that the Promotion from S-10 to S-11 is being given after five years due to which thousands of workers suffering loss of one year alongwith monetary loss. The union could have stressed on including provision of regular increments after S-11 if they were unable to get S-12 grade introduced.
Mishra further said that since 2001-2002, some posts were reserved for VR and E 0 by management in mining positions in a situation when the VR has not been implemented for many years and E0 is closed for ten years. Considering the situation, the recognised trade union could have pressed provision of creating a vacancy in D Cluster and chain system to A-cluster to benefit many employees.
But perhaps the INTUC Union had forgotten this too. Erstwhile GM I/c of Personnel Department, Late Mr Panda used to say that regardless of vacancy there must be promotion between clusters in every three years and it would have been beneficial.
But the union did not initiate in this direction. If the union wanted to improve the rules of quarter allotment, it would have initiated to get the houses repaired, made arrangements for water, electricity and treatment in Sector 9, improved the education system, but all these things were not included in the discussion.
HS Mishra said that it is necessary to improve the relationship between the management and the employees. He cautioned the management to include the above things in the promotion policy and make appropriate amendments in the agreement.
Mishra further said that the industrial relationship between workers union and management of Bhilai Steel Plant was famous across the country but in the present situation, Bhilai is losing its identity.
The top brass of Bhilai Steel Plant used to maintain a relationship not only between the officers and employees of the plant but also with the citizens. Erstwhile MDs used to visit Sector 9 hospital, schools and often visited different places in the township.
But today, the situation has changed. Earlier, the management was ready to resolve any problems by discussing it with the employees and citizens, but at present, the unions had to demonstrate even for the measures to prevent the worldwide epidemic corona and to arrange for proper medical treatment.
The employees demanded repeatedly from the management to break the chain of Corona by arranging roster system. But during the second wave of Corona, the management was busy in making records of monetary collection and had put the life of employees at stake.
When the employees expressed anger by staging tool down, the management contributed to worsen the deteriorating relationship by initiating disciplinary action against the workers. Mishra said that still it is not too late and the management can improve the relationship by withdrawing the suspension orders of the employees.