Workers of Cipla Sikkim Continues their Protests

RANGPO, September 25: Over 250 staff members and operators working under Cipla, a pharmaceutical company based in Kumrek in East Sikkim has been protesting for the past two days for not keeping their promises.

All the 250 staffs are on strike since September 18. According to the protestors, Cipla management had sent several staffs on training with promises of providing good allowances and salaries. During the training period, they were given a monthly salary of Rs 5500 but decreased to Rs 3500 per month after the completion of the training, it was informed. It was further informed the salary for the trained staffs changed to Rs. 4500 per month at a certain period of time.
Sources on the other hand revealed that the company had not only made an agreement with the trained staff to increase their salaries after two years of training but also to provide them with appointment letters as permanent staff of the company. “Two years period has passed and those staffs are yet to see the promises fulfilled,” sources further said.

Earlier as per reports ,The claims of peaceful settlement of ongoing disputes among the workers and management of Cipla by All Sikkim Democratic Labour Front (ASDLF), a pharmaceutical company based in Kumrek in East Sikkim today deepened more who are on strike for the past four days.
The 130 agitated workers of Cipla said that what has discussed between the management and ASDLF was not consulted with employees before taking any decision.
“We are neither consulted nor listened to our grievances by ASDLF leaders”, said agitated employees.
On Monday, the ASDLF members held a meeting with the management heads Ramesh Kumar, Cipla General Manger, Sudhir Kumar, HR Head and others in the presence of five labour heads. During the meeting, the labour heads demanded the management to fulfil the promises made in the appointment letter. Regarding the appointment letter, Ramesh Kumar had clarified that the company has been supporting the State Government’s Capacity Building Programme since two years and have also started giving training in Pharmaceutical unit.

While the agitated workers said that the management has not fulfilled their promises prior to the appointment made and instead of fulfilling the promises they have impose new regulation to workers.
The agitated workers have also formed a new workers association to fight for their rights according to Labour Act. The association has comprises of Rudra Kumar Subba, Jagat Bahadur Mangar, Kriti Gurung, Anil Pradhan and Nayan Labhar in the executive members supported by 130 workers, they claimed.
The executive body of workers said that they will not accept any compromises intermediated by ASDLF if they will not listen their grievances. They said that leaders of Mazdoor Morcha should work six months in Sikkim Cipla factory and find out truth about their protests and its causes. Some even wondered if things could turn violent shape in future if their demands continued to be ignored.