SHILLONG, June 16: The Mawmluh Cherra Cements Employees’ Union (MCCEU) has suspended its indefinite sit-in and now discussions are said to be held with the state government over a course of a week to chalk out a solution for the problems of the agitating Mawmluh Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL) employees.
The chairman of Mawmluh Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL), Wailadmiki Shylla, on Thursday said he has sought a week’s window to discuss the problems faced by the MCCL employees with the government, based on which the protest has been postponed for a week.
“I called them yesterday in my quarters. I requested them to give me a week’s time to discuss with the government and get it materialised. They have agreed and called a general meeting and withdrawn the protest for a week after that they will see and decide,” Shylla said.
The MCCEU demands include payment of regular salary to employees besides the arrears, implementation of the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) or the ‘golden handshake’ scheme and the appeal for making the cement plant operational at the earliest.
“I have sent a letter to the chief minister and have spoken to him as well. Mainly their demand is that they want an assurance that their pay will be regular,” the MCCL chairman said.
He stated that the government will try to provide financial assistance to them every quarter until the joint venture proposal is settled.
The state Cabinet had earlier cleared the proposal to initiate the process for a joint venture partnership in the MCCL keeping in mind the financial constraints of the state and the inability of the state to invest Rs 190 crore to revive the public-sector undertaking.
“I am quite sure that within this one week, something concrete will come out as they wanted a written assurance from the government that every quarter they will get the financial assistance until this joint venture thing is sorted out,” he said.
The MCCL chairman has acknowledged that financial assistance must be given to the MCCL staff as they have their family to feed just like others.
“We have to find ways and means, and I am confident that the government will come up with something,” Shylla added.
