Sales executives demand all dues before departure
Some 500 sales executives of Sanofi Bangladesh yesterday gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the management, demanding that they receive the full payment of compensation before the local operation of the French pharmaceuticals giant is sold to a third party.
Leaders of the Sanofi Bangladesh Karmokorta Kalyan Parishad, the platform of the executives, announced the ultimatum at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the city.
The employees also warned that it would go for tougher actions like forming human-chains in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka if their demands are not met by October 24. The human-chain will be formed at 11:00am on Thursday.
The warning came as Sanofi is now packing its bags to leave Bangladesh for strategic reasons as per a decision of the global headquarters.
“We do not want to be employed in any third company as per decision of Sanofi’s departure plan,” said Anwar Hossain, president of the platform.
Last week, Sanofi said it was looking for a buyer to sell the company with a job security guarantee clause so that some 1,100 employees of the country operation don’t lose employment.
However, the employees have expressed concerns that Sanofi and the buyer would go on to sign an agreement that may guarantee job security for only 12 months. And after the end of 12 months, the buyer may choose not to continue their service, they said.
Hossain said the employees have written to the management seeking clearing of the dues. Sanofi is trying to sell the company along with all the dues to the prospective buyer.
The employees observed work abstention to realise their demands.
The executives sought intervention of the government and the French embassy in Dhaka to settle the problem.
Yesterday, the Sramik-O-Karmachari Union, the platform of workers of the company, staged a token hunger strike from 4:30pm to 6:00pm in front of the gate of Sanofi factory in Tongi, according to Abdur Razzaque, president of the union.
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