Settlement drive failed

Settlement drive failed
Meet Matang Sinh at Court


Reconciliation drive of Labor Commissioner of Tripura to settle the ongoing problems between the employees and employers of NE Bangla satellite television channel under North East Multimedia Private Limited at Agartala failed to reach to an amicable settlement. The adamant attitude of the employers representatives lead by Mr. RN Singh denied paying the adequate compensation to the employees payable as per legal provisions. They did not accept the valid entitlements of the employees enshrined in the report prepared by the labor officers after a thorough assessment according to labor act. The commissioner Mr. MK Nath tried to make them understand that the legal provisions are binding upon all and the employees should be given their dues payable under the legal framework.

A tripartite meeting held today at Commissioner’s chamber to discuss the assessment report. The management representatives were Mr. RN Singh(Director), Mr. Sanjib Deb(COB), Prabhakar Awasthi(accountant) and Atanu Ganguly(advocate). The employees were lead by Mr. Prasenjit Chakraborty(Journalist and Secretary SAVE NORTH EAST) and Sanjib Das(Cameraman).

Mr. Singh told that as they closed the office at Agartala on February 25, 2010 so they will give salary up to that day and one months notice pay in addition.

Short recital of the case in memorandum of settlement signed by both the parties said, “The employer has agreed to pay only one month’s notice pay. Other compensation as per provision of law payable to the employees on retrenchment have not been agreed by the employer for payment.”

On behalf the employees, Prasenjit Chakraborty did not agree with the employers’ opinion and said that no legal activities were done before or after the closure. Therefore, in any case, February 25 can not be treated as cut off date regarding the date of termination of employment. He demanded that laws of land must be respected in all matters.

“The management expressed opinion that the issue may be settled in an appropriate Court of Law”, Short Recital concluded.

Here to be mentioned that Mr. Matang Sinh(former central minister and chairman of North East Multimedia Pvt. Ltd.) locked the Agartala office of NE Bangla TV Channel on February 25 this year without performing any formality under legal provisions through his local representatives. He also withdrew all the equipments from the office secretly in the second part of June. When all the chances of reopening of office faded away, then the employees formed an organization named SAVE NORTH EAST and started movement for justice.