All’s well that ends well. The Hyderabad Cricket Association Staff and Employees (HCASE) union and the HCA officials have reportedly come to an understanding to resolve the matter concerning the employees.
The HCASE had called for a strike from Thursday, but joint secretary T Basava Raju said the employees will resume work from Friday as the negotiations were successful.
“The demands of the employees were genuine as they have not been paid properly for several months. We have assured them that their demands will be met immediately. Regarding medical insurance, we will initiate talks with various companies and try to work out a suitable plan for the employees,” he said.
In their notice issued to the HCA on February 19, the HCASE had demanded the immediate clearance of pending payments which included long pending due of overtime and ground staff conveyance.
“For over two years, the staff and employees have shown immense patience despite facing severe financial and professional hardships. Despite multiple verbal requests and request letters to the management,” said the notice.
They also sought immediate processing of medical reimbursements and the provision of valid cashless health insurance for all staff and employees.
The HCASE also the withdrawal of an external HR consultancy. “We strongly oppose this move as it will create unnecessary conflict between HCA management and the staff. Historically, previous HCA administrations have successfully managed all BCCI, international and IPL matches as well as regular maintenance without such external intervention. We view this appointment as an unnecessary burden being forced upon the association against our collecting interest,” says the notice.
The HCASE also reminded the management of their support even when they were not paid salaries for three consecutive months. “We remained steadfast in our responsibilities, ensuring that the day to day functioning of the Association was not affected. This period placed immense financial strain on our families and us, causing considerable hardship and distress,” says the note.
“Several employees were compelled to avail personal loans at high rates of interest to meet essential household expenses and financial obligations. Notwithstanding these severe challenges, we collectively stood united and supported the Association shoulder to shoulder during one of its most difficult phases,” the note said.
“Our continued dedication, loyalty and professional integrity during this crisis reflects our deep commitment to the HCA and its long-term stability and growth,” the note added.
