Temporary Workmen Affiliated to ALL INDIA NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE EMPLOYEES FEDERATION INTUC Participate in Historical Protest Rally

by Shrutee K/DNS

Mumbai 12 August, 2018: With a view to draw attention to the apathy and indifferent attitude they have been subjected to over the years, more than 750 temporary workers of LIC of India marched in a rally from Azad Maidan on August 12, seeking justice and rightful of their problems. The rally was organized under the aegis of the All India National Life Insurance Employees Federation, the National and Registered Union of the Regular and Temporary Workmen of LIC of India.

The matter dates back to 1991 when the Federation had filed a petition in the Labor Court(I.D. No. 27/1991) seeking the absorption of 8000 temporary workmen as permanent employees in LIC. Though the Labor Court ruled in favor of the Federation and ordered LIC to accord the status of permanent employees to the workmen, the order was not executed. The Federation then approached the Supreme Court in 2007 for seeking justice for the workmen and the Supreme Court passed an order in 2015 to absorb all workmen in LIC services and stated that they should be paid pending backdated wages. (SUPREME COURT CIVIL APPEAL NO 6956/2009) In spite of the favorable judicial intervention by the apex court, the workmen have not been absorbed by LIC and continue to be bereft of pecuniary benefits given to permanent employees. It is a record of sorts where any Union has stood firmly with its worker members for such a long time and fought a long-drawn legal battle for their rights

“Following repeated ignorance of our pleas, we were left with no option but to come out on the street to seek justice. Even the order of the highest court of the country has been ignored. We demand an immediate implementation of the Hon. Supreme Court’s order. HON.SUPREME COURT FINALLY ORDERED ON 18/5/2015, 9/8/2016. And 11/5/2018 in civil appeal no 6956/2009 after dismissing all the petition i.e. review and curative of the LIC MANAGEMENT. This is a united effort to express solidarity with our fellow workers and we will ensure that they get their rightful dues and means of livelihood,” stated Rajesh Nimbalkar, General Secretary, All India National Life Insurance Employees Federation. He further added the Federation had insured all the workers who attended the rally.

Rajesh Nimbalkar, General Secretary of the federation has said that during the legal battle of 27 years they have never tried to create industrial unrest in the mind of the workers as well as workplace .We have fought legal battle ardently believing in judiciary system of India. But LIC MANAGEMENT HAS HIMSELF SABOTAGED THE VERY IMAGE OF LIC INSTITUTION BY INVITING CONTEMPT PETITION in SUPREME COURT (No. 934/2017)

“The hopes and aspirations of our fellowmen cannot be ignored by the concerned authorities. The rally aims to showcase the exploitation and the injustice the workers have been subjected to all these years. We expect that their grievances are redressed sincerely and they are not subjected to further torment and ill-treatment,” stated BNP Srivastav. Vice President of the federation.

“Most of us are in our 50’s now. At this age, we will not be able to secure gainful employment. Our only hope is we receive a proper financial package and are able to live a life of respect and dignity as permanent employees of a well-known organization,” stated Smt. Ujwala Rane of Maharashtra, Jaidip Solanki  of Rajasthan, and Punit Shrivastav of Uttar Pradesh.