LWMC sacks,restores 150 workers

LAHORE:In a sudden move, Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) on Tuesday terminated over 150 contractual third party employees providing services on Ring Road in the provincial metropolis but the decision was reversed on the intervention of the LWMC chairman.

The decision of terminating the services of over 150 contractual third party employees was made on Tuesday morning, which panicked the workers as well as officers of LWMC supervising them. However, as soon as the decision was publicised, LWMC Chairman Riaz Hameed came forward and directed the management to withdraw the notification. The chairman also called a meeting and discussed the issue. Sources in LWMC said the decision of terminating the services of 150 employees was the result of a decision of a BOD meeting, presided over by LWMC Chairman Riaz Hameed, who on Tuesday opposed the move. They said Tariq Butt, one of the board members, directed the LWMC management to reduce the hired manpower through contractor and in the first phase it was told to reduce the number from 2,900 to 2,500.

Sources said that Tariq Butt had circulated an email to the LWMC management on October 7 and sent a reminder of his email recently. Sources said as per the proposed plan circulated by Tariq Butt, the number of workers has to be further brought down by reducing “wireless operators” from the communication department. When contacted, LWMC Chairman Riaz Hameed said that he had opposed the decision because it would create legal complications. He said the board had agreed to rationalise the number of employees and the operations wing was directed to put figures not names. He said Tuesday’s notification contained names of the employees, which could create legal complications. “LWMC should not point out any names to the contractor and it was the job of the contractor,” he added.