Office-bearers of the Odisha Nirman Shramik Union (ONSU) have warned that union members would gherao the office of the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board on May 25 in protest against the reported ban imposed on their union by the board recently.
“The Odisha Nirman Shramik Union is affiliated to the Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI) Odisha Branch and fulfills all norms. It is undemocratic and unconstitutional that the Board Commissioner has banned our organisation,” said ONSU president Sivaram Sabyasachi Mohapatra.
He said the Board has not even issued a show-cause notice to them to keep their stand before banning it.
Informing that the ban order letter has been sent to all the district Collectors, labour Officers, DlCs and AlCs, Mohapatra demanded that the order be withdrawn soon.
He further demanded that building and other construction workers be provided labour cards in 30 days, filling up of vacancies and posting of new staffs permanently in the District labour Offices, to provide information in Board’s website and regularly update it about provisions as per the Central law and to raise the cess from 1 per cent to 2 per cent and strictly collect and deposit it in the Board’s fund.
He claimed that his union registered under the Trade Union Act 1926 hasn’t involved in any kind of irregularity, fraud and illegality since its birth 12 years ago.