SHILLONG: The MeECL Progressive Workers’ Union (MPWU), an umbrella body of regular casual workers working at the Meghalaya Electricity Corporation Limited (MeECL), has shot off a letter to the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of MeECL, alleging blatant violation of Trade Union Act, 1926.
President of the union, Mantiphrang Lyngdoh Kiri, told reporters that a meeting was fixed on Wednesday, November 1, which turned out to be in vain as the MeECL officers walked out of the meeting, taking exception to the presence of Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) member, Angela Rangad.
The union members assembled at Lumjingshai, Polo on the same day, drafted a letter to the CMD, P S Thangkhiew, to apprise him about the matter. But the members could not meet him and handed the letter to his Private Secretary.
Kiri, said that besides him, the general secretary of the union and six executive members including Rangad attended the meeting as he said, “She is an invitee member.”
“The MeECL officer told us that NGOs are not allowed,” he said. In the letter to the CMD, the leaders of the union stated that the Joint Secretary of MeECL, D. Warjri rudely said that NGOs are not allowed.
The members present maintained that the people present at the meeting were executive members of the union as prescribed by law. However, the officials walked out of the meeting. In this connection, the union asserted that the action of the officials is a “blatant illegality whereby the Trade Union Act, and in particular Section 6 and Section 22 were willfully violated.”
The Union urged the CMD to take action as per law and facilitate another meeting with the union to discuss the charter of demands of the union.
Kiri informed that the Labour Commissioner had called them for meeting on November 3. Reporters sought to get an appointment with Warjri, who later conveyed through the receptionist that he was in a meeting.
The charter of demands of the union included the withdrawal of contract agreement, regularisation, referring to Supreme Court’s order equal pay for equal work, the union also demanded the same.
