Association cautions Govt
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 28 2014:
CAF & PD Labourers Welfare Association has cautioned that they would launch violent agitations if their service is not revived by October 3 .
In a press conference held at Manipur Press Club, secretary of the association, Romendrajit Moirangthem said that labourers, who are engaged in shifting rice and sugar for CAF&PD, render their service under a contractor.
Maintaining that they are engaged in the said work under Section 2 (1) (b) of Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970, the secretary said that contractors must abide by these Act and relevant Supreme Court directive.
According to this Act, engaged labourers are the employees of CAF &PD, he claimed.
As such, CAF&PD must provide the wages and other entitlements of the Act if the contractors fail to do so, he claimed.
Further claiming that CAF & PD Director is their principal employer, Romedrajit said that the Director must appoint a representative to certify labourers' wages given by the contractor concerned.
Maintaining that it is illegal to terminate the service of long suffered labourers, Romendrajit further claimed that employment of engaged labourers are protected under Section-25F of Industrial Disputes Act 1947 as well.
Maintaining that CAF & PD is a Government Department, Romendrajit said that it is not right to run the Department as a private firm.