Job protest shuts Sikkim plant

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, 07 Mar 2019, Gangtok: The Alembic Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday closed down its plant at Samurdung Busty in South Sikkim following over a month-long protest by a section of contract workers mainly to get six of their sacked colleagues reinstated.

The Gujarat-headquartered company, which started operation at its Sikkim plant in April, 2013, put up a terse notice for 400-odd employees at its Samurdung unit saying "that the plant will remain closed with immediate effect till further advice".

The genesis of the discord between the management and a section of the workers, according to multiple sources, was the sacking of the six contractual workers for allegedly assaulting some other staff of the company on February 1.

"There were a group of 15 workers involved in the assault. After the company sacked all the 15, nine of them agreed to leave after taking dues. The remaining six have been insisting on getting back their jobs," said a source in the company.

In the aftermath of the assault and its consequences, the sacked six and a few others have been on a protest path, raising a number of other demands, including hike in house rent and other allowances, culminating in the shutdown of the factory.

The protesters have the backing of parties opposed to the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front Alembic is one of the 32 pharmaceutical companies to have come up in Sikkim to take advantage of tax benefits offered by the Centre to firms setting up manufacturing units in far-flung states.

The policy provides for a 10-year relief (from the date of commencement of commercial production) on central excise as well as income tax exemption, incentives on substantial expansion of capacity and capital investment subsidy.

A senior government source expressed displeasure over the turn of events and accused opposition parties of making use of the issue for purely political purpose without sparing a thought for the adverse impact the entire episode would have on the Sikkim industry.

"There is video footage of the assault. A company or any other organisation cannot run without discipline. These people are out to finish off whatever little we have by way of industry in our state solely for their vested interests. It is such a shame," said the source.

The opposition parties, including the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, however, accused the government of working handin-glove with the company to deny workers their legitimate rights.

"If anything untoward were to happen to the workers (following the shutdown), the management and the government will be held responsible," said Bikash Basnet, the press secretary of the SKM.