The indefinite strike by 156 contractual and outsourced staff members of the Mumbai Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) entered its third day on Thursday, with employees citing extreme financial hardships due to delayed salaries. .The employees have alleged that have not received their salaries for December 2024 and payments have been irregular for the past six months.In a letter addressed to the Registrar of NCLT, the employees said that their request to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has fallen on deaf ears."It is absolutely pathetic that MCA has lent a deaf ear to the basic necessities of outsourced and contractual employees, compelling them to face hardships," it was stated. They claimed that they don't even have money to buy groceries or medicines"We don’t have money to pay our children’s school fees, purchase household groceries, and even medication for our parents who are totally dependent on us," the letter said..Due to delayed payments, many of them are under threat of being evacuated by their landlords. "Our landlords are threatening us to vacate properties, and even our EMIs are lapsing. Recovery agents are chasing us, and penalties are being levied on us by the EMI companies," they wrote.A public memorandum was also issued by the striking employees reiterating their grievances and demands. It highlighted three key issues: "Non-payment of salaries to contractual and outsourced staff of National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench, for the month of December 2024, as on the date of this Memorandum; irregular/delayed payment of salaries to all contractual and outsourced staff of National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench since the last six months; and no revision in salaries since the inception of National Company Law Tribunal i.e., the fiscal year of 2016.".The strike has disrupted tribunal's functioning, leaving lawyers and litigants facing delays and inconveniences. "The clerical staff plays a critical role in daily operations, and any disruption causes significant delays in case hearings and filings," said a senior lawyer, adding that the legal fraternity is struggling to manage the fallout.Despite repeated verbal and written appeals, the employees allege that no permanent solutions have been proposed by the authorities. "Every time we approach your good office, we get a reply that we have not received the funds from MCA on time for releasing the salaries till date," they have said in their letter.The employees have also demanded fairness in their treatment. "As a matter of ethics and general principles of professional engagement in any government organization, we hereby re-iterate our unified demand for payment of our rightful wages," the memorandum said.The strike shows no signs of abating with employees vowing to continue with the same until their grievances are resolved..[Read Memorandum and letter]
