IIM Calcutta Mess Workers Go On Strike After Several Dismissed, Students Complained of Poor Food Quality

Mess workers at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta went on a strike on November 8 against the dismissal of 40 of their colleagues from the mess at the new hostel. All messes and eateries on campus were shut in the morning. In September, the mess contractor was dismissed from his post, along with other mess workers, and it was shut down.

On November 4, a new mess contractor was hired, however, he allegedly received death threats from the existing mess workers, the students claimed. The workers were allegedly dismissed after students complained of unhygienic food being served to them, reported Edex Live. The students of IIM Calcutta also claimed that the workers were blocking food delivery inside the campus. “The health and safety of IIMC students are at stake if urgent steps are not taken to resolve this issue,” the students said in a statement.

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“The food was barely edible. We would routinely find wires and insects in the food. We have registered several complaints with the Housing and Social Affairs Secretary of the student body, who brought it to the attention of the administration. However, no action was taken,” a first-year student of IIM Calcutta who resides at this hostel told the news daily.

Around 170 students of the hostel stopped paying mess charges stating they won’t be eating the food. They also added that all the mess workers were working on campus for 20 years and they are affiliated with the ruling party (Trinamool Congress), Hence, there is no accountability because, alleged another IIM Calcutta student.

“We have approached the administration but even they are under pressure from the ruling party, so they cannot do much,” said another student adding “We are helpless now. The administration has to come and take the lead on this. We are here to study. The kind of politics that happens in the institute and the interference of the political parties of the state is a disappointment. It leads to the downfall of this prestigious institute.”

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