Ludhiana: Contractual employees halt work at Verka plant over regularisation

The contractual employees’ union at Verka milk and cattle feed plant halted work over the state government’s failure to address the long-standing demands and issues faced by the workers. Union leaders, including state leader Pawandeep Singh and state secretary Jasvir Singh, expressed their discontent with the authorities.

The contractual employees, working in various departments of Verka, have been advocating for regularisation, citing low wages and exploitation by contractors. They are seeking direct employment from Verka, thereby doing away with the contractor’s role.

The workers alleged that they are not getting pay mandated by the Minimum Wages Act 1948. Additionally, they claimed that the contractors hire thousands of workers. These workers are subjected to long working hours and deprived of fair wages.

Despite repeated meetings with Milkfed chairman Narinder Singh Shergill and state government sub-committee officer Jasbir Riad, issues faced by the workers have remained unresolved.

The union said that protests will continue in front of the plants in Ludhiana and Bathinda until their demands are met. They added that the management and government shall be responsible for any disruptions in milk supply owing to the protests.