HPCA hotel employees laid off, protest

Tribune News Service

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Dharamsala, September 24

The employees, who have been laid off from the Pavillion hotel of the Himachal Pradesh Crick Association (HPCA) in Dharamsala, held a protest march today. The employees alleged that their services have been terminated by the hotel management. They said they had lost their livelihood and have no other source of income.

The employees also staged a dharna outside the international cricket stadium at Dharamsala. They demanded help from Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to get their jobs back.

RP Singh, director of the HPCA, when contacted, said that employees were laid off as the hotel has been lying closed since March 22 due to Covid pandemic. Since the hotel has not been functioning, the management had no money to pay to its employees. The employees have been laid off and not terminated. They would be invited to join after they hotel reopens, he said.

The head HR of the hotel Manesh Kohli said that 28 employees have been laid off from the hotel.

He said that employees have been given one-month salary and an option to join back once the hotel restarts its operations.

He said that not just Pavillion hotel but most of the hotels had been forced to lay off their employees due to loss of business as a result of Covid pandemic.