Heavy Industries Minister meets Employees’ Unions of HMT

Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises

Heavy Industries Minister meets Employees’ Unions of HMT

         The Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Shri Praful Patel today met with the representatives of the employees’ Unions of the Hindustan Machine Tools Limited (HMT), here today. The Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prof. K.V. Thomas and the Minister for HUPA and Culture Kumari Selja were also present on the occasion. The Ministers heard out the grievances of the employees which related to implementation of pay revision and enhancement in the retirement age from 58 to 60 years.

The Union representatives were informed that the matter has been receiving the attention of the Government - because of the non revision of pay, large scale attribution of employees has taken place specially in core and critical areas. Further, there has been no induction of new talent because of the low pay packages. This has also led to an anomaly by which senior officers were drawing pay less than that of the junior workers. This anomaly can be removed only through implementation of the 1997 pay revision.

It may be recalled that the HMT group of companies are loss making and are not able to generate internal resources to bar the cost of pay revision. Further, as per DPE guidelines, retirement age of employees can be enhanced from 58 to 60 years only in respect of companies which have been making profit in the preceding three years.

The Minister assured the employees that the Ministry would provide full support and build a strong case for the Cabinet approval to 1997 pay revision as well as to change the DPE guidelines for loss making PSUs to enhance the retirement age. The Minister also called for assurance from the Unions for strong commitment to turn around the company.

Source: PIB