Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai
Mumbai, January 16: The indefinite strike by 156 contractual and outsourced staff members of the Mumbai Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has entered its third day, with employees highlighting severe financial hardships due to delayed salaries.
The employees have claimed that they have not received their salaries for December 2024, and payments have been irregular for the past six months. In a letter addressed to the Registrar of NCLT, the employees expressed their frustration, stating that their pleas to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) have been ignored.
“It is absolutely pathetic that MCA has lent a deaf ear to the basic necessities of outsourced and contractual employees, compelling them to face hardships,” the letter stated. The employees further mentioned that they are struggling to meet essential needs, including buying groceries and medicines.
“We don’t have money to pay our children’s school fees, purchase household groceries, and even medication for our parents who are totally dependent on us,” the letter said.
Due to the delayed payments, many staff members are facing eviction threats from landlords. “Our landlords are threatening us to vacate properties, and even our EMIs are lapsing. Recovery agents are chasing us, and penalties are being levied on us by the EMI companies,” they wrote.
A public memorandum was also issued by the striking employees reiterating their grievances and demands. The memorandum highlighted key issues such as the non-payment of December salaries, irregular payment of salaries over the past six months, and the lack of salary revisions since the NCLT's inception in 2016.
The strike has significantly disrupted the functioning of the tribunal, causing delays and inconvenience for lawyers and litigants. “The clerical staff plays a critical role in daily operations, and any disruption causes significant delays in case hearings and filings,” said a senior lawyer.
Despite repeated appeals, the employees allege that no permanent solutions have been proposed by the authorities. “Every time we approach your good office, we get a reply that we have not received the funds from MCA on time for releasing the salaries till date,” they mentioned in their letter.
The employees have demanded immediate action and fairness in their treatment. “As a matter of ethics and general principles of professional engagement in any government organization, we hereby re-iterate our unified demand for payment of our rightful wages,” the memorandum said.
The strike shows no signs of abating, with employees vowing to continue their protest until their grievances are resolved.