The Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) union recognition poll has gained steam after a two-day nomination process was completed on Saturday.
As many as 12 labour unions have submitted their nominations to the Regional labour Commission (Central). While Steel Employees Association, Rourkela (SEAR), Steel Employees Trade Union (affiliated to CITU), Rourkela Mazdoor Sabha (affiliated to HMS), Rourkela Ispat Karakhana Karmachari Sangh (affiliated to BMS), Rourkela Workers’ Union, Ispat labour Union and Rourkela Shramik Panchayat submitted their nominations on Friday, Hindustan Steel Workers’ Association, Gangpur Mazdoor Manch, Rourkela Shramik Sangh (RSS), North Odisha Workers’ Union, louha Mazdoor Union and KISS submitted their nominations on Saturday.
The interesting part was the submission of separate nomination sets by two groups of the RSS.
It may be noted here that the RSS was recognized in the RSP in 1995 but before last recognition election, it got polarized due to difference between its president Prasant Behera and general secretary MDN Panikar.
Since then both groups have been claiming as the original RSS and the matter is in court.Both the groups coming in separate procession submitted the nomination in the name of RSS.
While Nihar Samal of Behera group says the RlC would take a final call on the fate of the nomination at the time of scrutiny, Akhaya Jena of Panikar group says his group is carrying the original registration certificate of the union; so the RlC will certainly consider his group’s nomination as valid.
The scrutiny of the nomination would be held on Monday.