Meet fails to address FCI loaders issue

The meeting of FCI officials, Labour department officials and FCI loaders, convened by MP Prathap Simha, at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, here, on Monday turned out be a inconclusive one as none were willing to arrive at an agreement.

The loaders at the main warehouse of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) are not working since March 25 as they returned their wages demanding wages at par with that paid to their counterparts in Nanjangud and K R Nagar warehouses. Stating that the FCI officials and the contractor who has bagged the contract for handling the loads of foodgrains are denying them their rightful wages, the labourers alleged that the contractor has been awarded the contract for the fourth consecutive year, which is a violation of the rules.

Regional Manager of the FCI Ramachandra said, the handling of loads in the warehouse had to be stopped as the loaders are not willing to accept the current payment from the contractor. The contractor said, he had got a 28 per cent revision in his tender amount and he has hiked the wages proportionately from Rs 2.60 to Rs 3.30 per bag.

However, the loaders said, the contract itself is illegal this year as they should be paid the wages by the FCI under the new direct payment system (DPS). The FCI regional manager said, he is yet to receive directions from his higher authorities about the implementation of DPS and the FCI has appealed against a Labour Court order, which directs payment of wages as done in Nanjangud and K R Nagar warehouses, and hence no action can be taken in this regard.

The MP appealed to the loaders to make a temporary agreement until the appeal case is solved or until the DPS is implemented. He assured to take up the issue with the Union ministers for Labour as well as Food and take steps to solve the problem at the earliest. The representatives of the contractor offered to pay Rs 3 per bag to the loaders if they resume work from Tuesday. The loaders offered to resume work if the contractor pays them the minimum wages and pays 50 per cent of the minimum wages since March 25, as per rules.

If the loaders work for minimum wages, they will handle only 135 bags a day, for which the contractor’s representatives disagreed.

Speaking to media persons, after winding up the meeting, Prathap Simha said, he wanted the loaders to work till the issue is permanently solved. “I did not know anything about the FCI’s appeal against the Labour Court order.

If at all there is such a case, it has to be solved in a law court. But, if the officials are misleading about the appeal, the issue will be solved at the earliest and action will be initiated against the guilty. I somehow feel that the officials have colluded with the contractors. If they are guilty, they will be punished,” he said.

Senior Deputy Director for Food and Civil Supplies K Rameshwarappa was present.