OSBC defies Odisha HC order, recruits more contractual employees

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 29:

Odisha State Beverage Corporation (OSBC) has gone against the High Court order to outsource jobs and have recruited more contractual employees.

Out of about 107 workers have serving in OSBC, a profitable venture of the state government, since past 6-15 years, the job of two workers has been made permanent while the fate of the remaining workers hangs in balance.

No decision had been taken by OSCB about these employees even after repeated written and vocal demands. Instead, they were tortured physically, mentally and financially forcing them to move the High Court in 2011.

The court, in its hearing on August 4, had ruled in favour of these employees and asked the government to retain these workers either in permanent or contractual mode within three months of the order.

On the contrary, the OSCB authorities have outsourced more jobs and recruited six more contractual employees through consultancies a week after the order of the court . The new employees are under training and would report to work after the training is over.

The contractual employees, on the other hand, have alleged that OSCB is trying to fast forward the joining of the new contract workers and conspiring to oust some of the existing workers.

The contract workers on Friday met the Director of OSBC and submitted a seven point charter of demands to push forward their agenda.

The agenda includes adherence to High Court orders and permanent or contractual employment within three months of ruling, a ban on further hiring until the High Court orders are implemented, withdrawal of newly recruited employees, payment of pending salary and issuance of EPF and ESI for last four and half years, allow the employees of both main and branch offices to take government leaves on equal basis, additional allowances for working on holidays and festivals etc.