Solan: In a major breakthrough in the Himachal Pradesh facial beard row, the eighty workers fired by a pharmaceutical company in Solan district of the state have been re-hired subject to conditions by the firm following intervention by the State Labour Department, a top official said on Saturday.
Labor Inspector, Parwanoo, Lalit Thakur said that as per the company's condition, the worker who will not cut his beard and moustache will work in the company's non-core area. “Whereas, those workers who fulfill the condition of shaving beard and moustaches, will work in the core area. Both the parties agreed on this condition and the dispute has been resolved," Thakur said.
According to Labor Inspector Lalit Thakur, he talked to the management two to three times over the matter. “The company also presented its side and the workers were also heard. Meanwhile, it was also decided that the workers' salary should not be cut due to this dispute, to which the management agreed and after the dispute was resolved, all the workers have returned to their work,” he added.
On Apr 26, the workers had accused the pharma company located in Naryal of Parwanoo in Solan that 80 workers were fired for keeping beard and moustache triggering a protest by the agitated workers.
The management had instructed all its employees to get their beard and moustache cut and those who do not do so will be fired from the job. Some workers had agreed to this condition, but about 80 workers opposed after which the company fired them. The workers complained about this to the labor inspector Parwanoo. The labor inspector visited the company and instructed the company management that they cannot fire the workers on this basis.
