Noida: Electronic Manufacturing Company Workers Protest Non-Payment of Overtime Dues

Lucknow: How factory workers are being exploited by their employers by forcing them to work overtime in violation of Factories Act can be very well gauged from the fact that at least 500 workers of Zet Town, an electronic manufacturing company in sector 63, Noida were denied overtime pay. Moreover, when workers protested, some of them were fired to crush their voices.

Hundreds of factory workers, mostly women employed at Zet Town, have been working for 10-12 hours per day but are being paid for 8 hours for the last two to three years. As per the Factories Act (1948), the maximum working hours per day is 8 hours and 2 hours overtime. The protesters alleged that the factory management had ousted them, which was unfair as it was against the norms.

“We have been working for endless hours to get some extra money so that we can celebrate our festivals, but despite the promise to give us overtime payment, the company is misbehaving with us. When we approached HR to release the payment, he asked us to resign. With Diwali approaching, all the employees are in distress. When employees of other companies get a bonus ahead of Diwali, we are protesting for our payment,” Ravi, a protesting worker, told NewsClick.

Richa, an employee who travels 50 km to reach her Noida sector-63 office, was upset with the employer for not releasing their overtime payment despite taking work for months.

“It is a rule that maximum working hours for workers cannot be exceeded beyond 8 hours, but we are working for 10 to 12 hours but being paid salary as per 8 hours per day at the end of every month,” she told NewsClick, adding that “The government has promised us that our demand would be met by October 11. However, if our demands are not met, we will continue with the protests,” she said.

Meanwhile, protesting employees blocked the movement of vehicles and shouted slogans against the company. The situation became so tense that the police force had to be called to control the angry workers who were demanding to clear their much-delayed payment. Another cause of workers’ agitation was the non-payment of their September month wages.

At least three workers were injured during a scuffle with police. Nine workers have been detained in connection with the event so far.

Amit Kumar, SHO, Sector-63, said that talks are being held with these employees, and that law and order was under control. “About 600 employees work in shifts. They haven’t received overtime money for almost three months. However, the company management assured to transfer their pending overtime dues today itself,” he told NewsClick.