Battery unit lays off 35 employees

Battery unit lays off 35 employees

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 6

An auto battery manufacturing unit, Sunox International, at Panjhera in Nalagarh today laid-off 35 employees following recession.

The unit management claims that the employees were hired on contractual basis and were terminated as their one-year contract had expired. However, the employees alleged that they had been working on contract since last three to four years and had been promised regular service.

Employees led by their president Rajeev Kumar gave a written complaint to the SDM Nalagarh and demanded restoration of their services.

They alleged that the company promised them of regular job and despite putting in 24 to 36 hours their services had been terminated.

They were restrained from entering the company by the security staff.

President Rajeev Kumar, vice-president Pal Singh and others alleged that the company management had been regularising the services of employees belonging to other states, while the locals, who had no other source of income, were being laid-off.

Commercial head of the company, which manufactures Okaya Batteries, Dushyant Kumar, said the company was facing 50 per cent cut in orders of auto batteries and they were unable to afford the contractual employees.

Labour Inspector Lalit Kumar said the employees had not approached him. He said he would inquire into the matter if it was referred to him.