Bench Chemists Claim Illegal Dismissal Violates 1947 Industrial Disputes Act

Lucknow, September 14 – A collective of outsourced bench chemists employed by the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) staged a sit‑in outside Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak's residence on Monday, alleging that their removal breached the Industrial Disputes Act of 1947.

The chemists, spread across 18 district laboratories, assert that they have processed over 700 samples each and have facilitated eleven recruitments since November 2022. They were dismissed without any prior notice, even as the state announced the creation of 347 new permanent posts within the same labs.

Gopal Rastogi, a veteran chemist, labelled the action "shameful" and highlighted that the lack of a written order makes the termination unlawful. He also criticized the administration for ignoring repeated requests for clarification.

Colleague Sushil Gautam explained that the layoffs occurred only two days after the chief minister inaugurated a new corporation meant to oversee laboratory operations. The chemists seek to be reinstated under this corporate umbrella and to have their contracts honored.

The protestors have asked the deputy chief minister to order their immediate reinstatement and to ensure compliance with statutory labor protections, stressing that their expertise is essential for food safety testing throughout the state.