Law varsity urged to reinstate 43 terminated employees
Employees of Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU) under the banner of the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) today staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office against “illegal” dismissal of 43 daily wage workers from the National Law University. They asked the university authorities to immediately reinstate them.
Addressing the protesters, Vijender Mehra, state president, CITU, said, “It has been over a month since these workers were dismissed. Despite raising industrial dispute with the Labour Department, no conciliatory talks have been initiated.”
“The workers, who had been employed for several years in roles like cleaning, security, hostel attendants, drivers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers and other technical positions, were denied the minimum wages mandated by the Central Government. They were made to work for 12 hours a day without being paid double overtime wages. These workers were also forced to perform additional tasks beyond their designated roles without any extra wages. Moreover, they were not provided with benefits like EPF, ESI, medical facilities or holidays. The university, operating with a shortage of staff, overburdened these employees,” said Mehra.
He further said these workers were hired through a proper recruitment process that involved interviews. “Now firing them without notice or valid reason is against the law. The practice of hiring and firing workers without cause, known as the “hire and fire” policy, is not allowed under the country’s labour laws,” he said.