Job rotation move at VSP raises concerns among technical staff

The management of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), has decided to introduce a job rotation policy, drawing concern from sections of employees, especially in technical departments.

Officials said the policy will be implemented shortly and a list of employees is being prepared. “Staff in Medical, Legal, Paramedical, Official Language and Company Secretary departments are exempt,” an official said.

Employee representatives questioned the move. “Such policies may suit corporate offices, but a large integrated steel plant runs on specialised operations,” a representative said. They noted that production targets have increased and working hours extended. “Many employees have spent decades in specific units and built unit-specific skills,” he said.

“Moving experienced personnel to new departments could take up to a year for them to become fully efficient. Senior workers will have to spend time training them, affecting output,” another employee said.

Workers also questioned transfers between core units. “What is the benefit of shifting someone from Blast Furnace operations to the Steel Melting Shop? The focus now should be on production and financial stability,” a representative said.

As per orders, nearly one-third of the workforce may be rotated across departments, sections or locations. “Transfers will take place once every three years, with the list generated automatically each April,” an official said.

“The impact may be limited for executives in supervisory roles. But for shop-floor staff handling equipment, this will be disruptive,” a worker said. The policy is set to be implemented across Operations, Projects and Commercial departments.