INFOGEN: updates on employee rights movement

INFOGEN, an IT firm in Kolkata, recently folded up overnight with its management disappearing, bringing into focus the issue of employee rights on a landscape dotted with such firms. An appeal from employees was published earlier.

5th March: a “Citizen Convention” was successfully organized at Mahabodhi Society Hall, College Street, by the workers of ANI INFOGEN Pvt Lld, with these following demands:
1. Immidiately open The INFOGEN and start its normal activities.
2. Pay the due payment of last 3 months.
3. Pay back Rs.50,000 to those workers, who want to leave the company willingly.
4. Authority should be punished properly for their illegal activities.
5. Govt. & Administration should take immediate action regarding these issues.

More than 150 workers of the company had joined the programme. Many renowned intellectuals, like Ronesh Sen, Avi Dutta Majumder, Meher Engineer, poet Prasun Bhaumik, reporter Bolan Gangopadhay and others had also joined the convention and expressed their solidarity to the workers of INFOGEN. Renowned writer Mahasweta Devi had sent a letter to the convention conveying her support. A platform, named “ANI INFOGEN EMPLOYEES SAVE COMMITTEE” was formed from the convention to continue the movement.

9th March: the SAVE COMMITTEE organized a protest-mobilization at sector 5. Some workers from other IT companies had also joined to that programme in support of INFOGEN-workers.

16th March: a “general body meeting” of the ANI INFOGEN EMPLOYEES SAVE COMMITTEE was successfully organised at City Center, Salt Lake. About 140 workers of INFOGEN Pvt Llt has joined the meeting.

18th. March: a rally was organized by the workers of INFOGEN, from College Square to the Writers’ Building, seeking an urgent intervention of the Chief Minister Mr. Buddhyadeb Bhattacharya. After this rally, a delegation team was sent to meet the the personal secretary of the Chief Minister and gave him a memorandum.

24th March: again a “general body meeting” of the SAVE COMMITTEE was successfully organised at City Center, Salt Lake. The meeting decided to form “ANI INFOGEN Pvt Ltd Employees’ Union”, unanimously, to strengthen the movement. Kushal Debnath and Anshuman Chatterjee were elected as the President and General Secretary of the union, respectively.

30th March: a 4-membered delegation team was sent to The Governor’s House on behalf of the union. The Jt. Secretory of The Governor, Mr. S.K.Upadhaya mate the delegation team very seriously and committed to pursue the case of INFOGEN to the relevant department of the Govt. he also committed to take the necessary actions within 7 days from the date of deputation. On that very day, i.e. on 30th, a protest mobilization was also organized at Metro Channel, Esplanade, from 11am to 3pm, by the workers of INFOGEN.

31st March: another delegation team was sent to the labor department of West Bengal, to meet the Labor-commissioner. After the first hearing, he gave another appointment on 3rd April to discuss about the industrial dispute, already placed by the union.

2nd April: a delegation team of our union was sent to meet the CID officials regarding the INFOGEN investigation.

3rd April: another team was sent to the Labor Dept of W.B.Govt. The Labor Commissioner mate the team and ensured that, a tripartite meeting will be called soon on the basis of the industrial dispute, already filed by the workers of INFOGEN.