LIC employees on strike, demands new recruitment, recognition of trade union

Raipur (Team Newsbuddy): Insurance employees expressed their anger by going on a one hour walkout strike across the country demanding new recruitment in third and fourth category in LIC and recognition of trade union. The strike was called by All India Insurance Employees Association. LIC employees went on strike one hour before lunch break in 16 branch offices of Raipur division and held demonstrations and meetings outside the offices. General Secretary of Central Zone Insurance Employees Association addressing the main strike meeting in the divisional office located in Pandri. Dharmaraj Mohapatra alleged that Modi Government is contracting out permanent jobs in public and government sectors.

This is the reason that recruitment of regular employees has stopped in all public sectors including LIC and the number of contract employees is increasing. This process is a direct mockery of the future of crores of unemployed youth of the country. He said that due to the ever increasing business in LIC, the workload on the employees has increased a lot. Due to lack of new recruitment and continuous retirements, 12000 employees have been reduced in the last 7 years.

By the year 2028, only 30000 third and fourth class employees will remain, which will not be sufficient to run such a big institution. On the other hand, the non-recognition of trade union by the management in this major financial institution of the country weakens industrial democracy. Mohapatra demanded that All India Insurance Employees Association, which represents more than 85% of LIC employees, should be immediately recognized. Addressing the gathering, General Secretary of Raipur Division Insurance Employees Association Com. Surendra Sharma termed the proposed Insurance Amendment Bill as a step taken to destroy the nationalized insurance industry in favor of private insurance companies and said that on the passing of this bill, insurance employees across the country would express their anger by going on a one day strike. Addressing the gathering, Joint Secretary of RDIEU Com. Gajendra Patel said that if even now appropriate action is not taken by the management, the insurance employees will again intensify the agitation by going on a one hour strike in the month of March. The strike meeting was addressed by Secretary of Mahila Samiti Com. Anusuiya Thakur, Secretary of Group Insurance Unit Com. Sandhya Bhagat, Executive Member N.J. Rao, General Secretary of Insurance Pensioners Sangh Com. Atul Deshmukh and Joint Secretary of Central Zone Insurance Employees Association Com. V.S. Baghel, while addressing, called for carrying forward the struggle in difficult circumstances. The speakers expressed strong anger over the ongoing outsourcing of Class IV posts in LIC offices and said that the management’s policy of handing over the country’s premier financial institution to contractors will be strongly opposed. The meeting ended with loud slogans. The meeting was chaired and conducted by RDIEU President Comrade Rajesh Parate.