BOI firms revived but 12,000 workers lose jobs
View(s):Thirteen underperforming Board of Investment (BOI) enterprises acquired by the government under the Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underutilised Assets Act in 2011 are now being revived through new investors.
However compensation, gratuity or EPF for over 12,000 former employees, as promised by the government, is yet to be given, trade unions alleged.
Anton Marcus, General Secretary of the Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees’ Union (FTZ&GSEU), told the Business Times that the Treasury is keeping the money received from new investors without releasing it to the Commissioner of Labour although the compensation tribunal has given an order to make these payments.
He noted that some factories including Jaqalanka Ltd and Cosmos Macky Industries Pvt. Ltd taken over by the government are now operating under new management, but the authorities will have to pay compensation and other dues for former workers.
These workers were virtually thrown onto streets and cannot find any other jobs as they are semi-skilled and already passed the employable age, he added.
New investors Kansay Nerolac Paints Ltd with JAT Holdings Pvt Ltd has taken over Sinotex Lanka Ltd while Bachhavet Enterprises is the new investor of Jaqalanka, Finance Ministry sources said.
Cosmos Macky Industries is being revived by Fonda Global Engineering Pvt. Ltd.
New workers have been recruited to these factories without considering the due compensation of former employees, Mr . Marcus said.
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