Fracas at pharma firm’s meeting to discuss transfers

Nagpur: A meeting called by Sun Pharma to discuss transfer issues of employees took an ugly turn when field workers and the management entered into a tiff at a city hotel on Wardha Road on Saturday. The fracas forced the hotel management seek police intervention. Finally, the company management decided to call off the meeting without hearing grievances of employees and both parties left the venue. Vishal Joshi, state president of Maharashtra State Medical Representatives Association (MSMRA), told TOI the incident occurred during a routine meeting that was arranged in the city for employees of adjoining districts. Both sides were called at Sonegaon police station and told to resolve the issue amicably, without disturbing the occupants of the hotel and surrounding area. “After assuring the police about discussing the issue peacefully with field workers, the management backed out. 20 workers waited in front of the hotel for two hours, but the management officials never came back,” alleged Joshi. Joshi claims the company has been behaving very vindictive after it acquired Ranbaxy labs. “It is transferring employees, even those holding senior posits, randomly from one corner of the country to another without any consideration of the consequences on the employees and their families. This is not done. On May 2 this year, the High Court directed the Sun Pharma to recall all transfers in six months and send employees back to their original postings when they were in Ranbaxy. But, the company is being very rude by not discussing the issue properly with employees,” he said. Joshi alleged the transfers are victimization of workers in the name of business exigency. In the first phase, it transferred 250 employees. Recently, it shunted another 55 field workers, including top and senior leaders of the erstwhile Ranbaxy Union. They have not been paid salaries for past two months. “Actually Ranbaxy management had a bilateral agreement with the union and the employees worked quite satisfactorily. But, after the acquisition, Sun Pharma wants to disband the union,” said Joshi.