AP: RINL Reinstates All Terminated Contract Workers

Visakhapatnam: The management of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) has decided to reinstate the 4,200 contract labourers, whom it had terminated on September 27. The reinstatement will be effective from September 29.

Following the termination, the workers staged a two-day dharna outside the RINL executive director's office. They met the regional labour commissioner K.J. Mohanty and expressed their concerns.

As a result of their efforts and intervention of Mohanty, RINL reinstated the contract workers.

In a statement, the regional labour commissioner said representatives of the unions had submitted that the RINL management had cancelled the gate passes of approximately 4,200 contract labourers on September 27, 2024. However, all the contract workers are now being reinstated in service with effect from September 29, 2024, with a new set of gate passes.

Union representatives, however, insisted that the management restore the old gate passes, instead of issuing temporary gate passes for one month. They warned that they may resort to industrial action if the old gate passes are not restored.

The RINL management, on the other hand, has submitted that around 3,700 contract labour passes had been cancelled. These will be restored in the online pass system as soon as possible. The biometric database will also be restored in the system.

The management assured that contract labourers working under various contractors of RINL will continue serving without any blockage. It advised all unions to maintain peace and harmony towards establishing smooth industrial relations and ensuring plant production. It asked the contract staff not to resort to any industrial action that hampers plant production and productivity.