Labour court hears PSM CEO plea seeking termination of more workers

KARACHI: The Labour court in Karachi on Monday adjourned the hearing of a plea seeking more terminations from the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) until January 6, ARY News reported. 

Hearing the plea filed by the chief executive officer (CEO) Pakistan Steel Mills for more terminations from the PSM, the court said the mills was regarded as the backbone of the country.

The plea was filed under section 11-A of the West Pakistan Industries Act.

The court has to see that is it possible to layoff workers in huge numbers in the current situation of the pandemic. “Can PSM file the case in the Labour court”, the judge remarked.

During the hearing, the workers of the PSM made hue and cry. The court while ordering the counsel of the PSM to convince the court about the questions raised, adjourned the hearing till January 6.

CEO Pakistan Steel Mills has stated that it is not possible to run the mills as it has become a burden over the national exchequer. “The government has decided to privatized the mills and for that more lay-offs are the need of the hour.”

The applicant has pleaded with the court to allow for more termination of the employees from the mills.

Last month, the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) had sacked its 4,544 employees and sent their termination letters via post.

Read more: ECC approves golden handshake plan for PSM employees: sources

The PSM spokesman had said that they had prepared a list of the employees who had been sacked and included from separate cadres including teachers, drivers, firemen, operators, health and security staffers, SEDGMs, managers and others.

Meanwhile, a workers group named Stakeholders Group had rejected the decision and said that it seems that the state has become irrelevant in the PSM matter.