Rourkela: The Rourkela Shramik Sangha (RSS) has asked the deputy labour commissioner to conduct elections to form the workers’ union in Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) as soon as possible. The general secretary of the RSS, Prasant Behera had written a letter to the Labour Commissioner’s Office in Bhubaneswar, March 11 to conduct elections as soon as possible and had submitted a copy of it to the local Labour Commissioner’s office here. The term of the RSS-run union ended March 12 and since then there is no workers’ union in the RSP. Behera reiterated Sunday the claims of the RSS to conduct the elections to the various posts as soon as possible. He came down heavily on the BMS-affiliated Rourkela Ispat Karkhana Karmachari Sangh (RIKKS) and its general secretary Himansu Bal for the delay in elections.”They have filed a case at the Orissa High Court for holding the elections in RSP. The next hearing for the matter is July 12.
By filing a case, they have delayed the process. We are ready to fight the elections even tomorrow,” asserted Behera. The RSS general secretary stated that a lot has been done for the RSP employees in the last couple of years. “We have signed an MoU with SAIL for a new pay scale for the workers. Also, the fringe benefits have been increased to 26.5 per cent. Night shift and HR allowances have substantially increased during our tenure,” Behera stated. Behera pointed out that during the tenure of the RSS health benefits for the workers have improved substantially. “Various pathological tests can now be done at the first-aid centre within the RSP premises. Wellness allowances are being provided to employees of various departments like HMS-2, Coke Oven and Blast Furnaces. The amount for organ transplantation has been increased to Rs 25 lakh from the earlier available `10 lakh,” he said. “The rules for getting a loan from the provident fund have been simplified. Also a crèche has been set up for kids of female employees,” added Behera.
The senior RSS official also pointed out that qualitative enhancement has come in the maintenance of roads, houses, drainage and other services. “Apart from modernising the community centres in various localities, the one at Sector-18 has been converted into a beautiful marriage hall. House allotment rules have also been changed, making it easy for employees to get quarters,” Behera informed.
