PHAGWARA: A delegation from the Jagatjit Textile Mill Trade Union Congress today met SP Phagwara, Rupinder Kaur Bhatti, in support of their long pending demands
The Union members accused the JCT mill owners of fraud and demanded the filing of an FIR. Speaking to journalists after submitting the memorandum to the police, union leader Sunil Pandey and others stated that due to the negligence of the mill owners, the JCT mill is on the verge of closure as it is burdened with heavy debt.
They mentioned that while employees' EPF contributions are being deducted, this was not being deposited, which constitutes outright fraud. Workers who left their jobs during COVID-19, those who resigned due to departmental closures, and retirees have not been paid their gratuity, overtime, bonuses, or PF by the mill management which has caused severe financial hardship for the affected workers, making it difficult for them to manage household expenses, seek medical treatment, and enrol their children in new academic sessions.
Narrating their tale of woes Union Leaders said, with increasing debt, shopkeepers are refusing to provide groceries on credit. Additionally, the mill management has not deposited ESI contributions for the past year, resulting in the suspension of ESI benefits. Workers are also unable to withdraw their savings from the cooperative society within the mill, causing significant distress.
The union leaders explained that the mill management has set up a provident fund trust, and both the employees' 12% contributions and the mill's 12% contributions—totaling 24%—are not being deposited into this trust. Consequently, crores of rupees in provident fund contributions are pending from the mill owners. Raj Narayan Yadav, a member of the Regional Provident Fund Committee, Punjab, had lodged a written complaint with the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Jalandhar, in December of the previous year. Despite numerous letters and personal requests from the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner's office in Jalandhar, the mill management has yet to deposit the funds. Although the Provident Fund office has filed an FIR against the mill owners, they continue to evade legal action due to their influence.
In addition to submitting the memorandum to SP Phagwara, copies have also been sent to the Governor of Punjab, the Chief Minister of Punjab, the Cabinet Minister for Labor, the Labor Secretary of Punjab, the Labor Commissioner in Mohali, the Assistant Central Provident Fund Commissioner in Chandigarh, and the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner in Jalandhar.