Goa-based Sesa Resources Limited (Surla Beneficiation Plant) and Sesa Sterlite Ltd.(Amona plant, Sirsaim Shipbuilding and Repair, Sesa Head Office and Sesa River Fleet) have been denied permission by the Ministry of Labour, Goa to layoff around 150 employees in their various mining establishments.
The order was issued by Goa Labour Department on February 27.
The companies of Sesa Goa group had applied for layoff permission, citing reasons that the Goa government had suspended all mining operations on September 10, 2012, and that the Supreme Court had banned mining operations in Goa on October 5, 2012.
Trade union leader Christopher Fonseca said on Sunday that the case came up for hearing before the Goa Ministry of Labour in January and February, 2014. He disclosed that trade unions in Goa — AITUC-led Goa Mining Labour Welfare Union and Sesa Goa Workers' Union (SGWU) — successfully opposed these layoff applications.
The Union Ministry of Labour had already dismissed the application, filed by the above companies, to lay-off 1050 workmen employed by these companies, vide an order dated February 11.
Describing this as a very significant victory, Mr. Fonseca, who has been spearheading the cause of mining dependents, said, “It is a beacon for all the workers/staff employees of various other mining companies of Goa, on mines and their establishments.”
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has called upon all workers employed in mines and mining establishments in Goa to remain united and vigilant to counter any such attacks on their jobs and on their 'Right to Work'.
