Sanofi employees demand benefits before share sell-off

Sanofi Bangladesh's workers-employees' association has demanded that the multinational company provide the staff with their earned benefits before handing over shares of its Bangladesh unit to another company.

"Employees of all levels of Sanofi Bangladesh have been articulating their logical demands to the local and global management of Sanofi," said, Sanjib Kumar Chakraborty, general secretary of the association.

He was addressing a press conference at the Economic Reporters' Forum in the capital's Paltan yesterday, when the association also demanded protecting the future and upholding the reasonable rights of about 1,000 employees working in Sanofi Bangladesh.

He said the management was yet to ensure their earned benefits despite giving assurances to provide it all.

"We are in doubt whether we will get the benefit or not," he said.

He further said they did not know whether they would be able to retain their jobs once Sanofi lets go of its share.

However, he did not disclose the identity of the entity which they said would acquire the 55 per cent stake of Sanofi. 

"We formed a trade union under the provisions of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 and Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015 under the Ministry of Labour," he said.

Ever since the share sale announcement was made on October 14, 2019, employees have been voicing their demands.

Meanwhile, all employees have been working tirelessly and sincerely for the past 15 months to keep the company's business running as usual, Chakraborty added.

Md Nurujjaman Raju, president of the association, said they would launch tougher movements if the benefits were not provided in due time.

"We have put in our effort to establish the reputation of the company and ensure quality of the products," he said.