Union Labour Ministry intervenes to resolve industrial dispute between HCC Ltd and workers’ union

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 8

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The Union Labour Ministry’s intervention has resolved the festering industrial dispute between management of Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) Ltd and the All India HCC Workers Union which had threatened to affect the national highway related infrastructure projects in various parts of the country.

The dispute related to contract labourers with a good chunk of them being migrants.

The Labour Ministry informed that the management has agreed to the demands of the union, which was the flashpoint between the two sides.

The demands were disbursal of nine-month wages, retrenchment compensation and gratuity to all eligible workers along with a bonus at the rate of 8.33 per cent.

The highlight of the resolution of the dispute was the contractor agreeing to pay leave with wages to all eligible workers and to pay wages for the entire period of Covid when the workers could not attend to duties.

A dispute was raised by the Federation of All India HCC Workers Union against the management of HCC Ltd, a contractor of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), demanding payment of wages for nine months to 600 contract labourers along with other service benefits like bonus and leave with wages for financial year 2020-21.

Also, as the contract work of the contractor was to wind up in May 2021, the union demanded retrenchment-compensation and gratuity payable to all contract labour.

“The entire settlement was held with volition and goodwill of the parties without leaving any financial burden on the employer in future and any litigation,” the Labour Ministry said.

The settlement made the employer liable for payment to the tune of 27 crores. The parties have agreed to submit a report on implementation of settlement.

Union Labour Minister Bhupinder Singh Yadav had also made a push for resolution of the dispute.

The country’s Chief Labour Commissioner DPS Negi was deputed to oversee the talks between the disputant parties.

The workers’ union has expressed their gratitude to such positive and proactive relief-oriented action undertaken by offices of Chief Labour Commissioner.

“Such efforts are made by the office of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) across the country so that no worker is denied their lawful rights.”