Main demands accepted, PSPCL staff call off protest

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 2

In a respite for general public, the protesting Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) employees have called off their protest against the management after it accepted its prominent demand of revision in pay bands.

The protest by PSPCL employees had entered the 18th day on Thursday. After the decision by the employees’ unions to call off the stir, the employees at some of the offices joined duties and accepted electricity bills from consumers.

The protesting employees had been on mass casual leave for the last 18 days. The unions had extended the protest till December 7 after a meeting on Wednesday as PSPCL management had failed to implement the demands earlier accepted by it. However, the management accepted the main demand of the employees after which the unions decided to soften their stance.

Rajinder Singh, president of Technical Services Union (Vaigyanik group) said the only pending issue is the notification regarding holidays during the protest.

“Till now, the management has been considering the protesting employees who had availed their casual leave as absent from duty. We have demanded from the management to consider us on leave for the period.” He said the management has decided to take a decision in this regard till December 5. He said unions would take the next decision after December 5, if the management failed to fulfil its promise.

PSPCL employees had earlier initiated the protest on 32 issues, including regularisation of contractual workers, correction of anomalies in pay commission report, implementation of better pay bands, revival of old pension scheme, initiation of free power for new retirees.

The employees had also demanded recruitment on vacant posts to reduce the workload on the existing staff. They have also been demanding a stop on recruitment through outsourcing companies. Residents complained that long delay in rectifying the faults in the power transmission lines was resulting in non-availability of electricity for long hours.

“There was no one to respond to complaints. Had the protest been held in the summer season, it could have been troublesome for consumers. It is good that the employees have ended the protest,” said Kewal Kumar, a resident. The protest was being supported by field workers, clerical staff, pensioners and technicians of the power corporation.