LUCKNOW: On the call of Vidyut Karamchari Sangh's Sangharsh Samiti, Uttar Pradesh, for the fourth consecutive day today after publication of notice for appointment of transaction advisor to facilitate privatisation of Discoms , massive demonstration by power sector employees, contractual workers, and engineers wearing black bands were held across various cities.
Sangharsh Samiti officials claimed that after privatization, there will be large-scale retrenchment of electricity employees, junior engineers and engineers. There are 44330 posts of employees in Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam and 33161 posts of employees in Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam. After privatization, a large number of posts will be abolished leading to large scale retrenchment.
Shalendra Dubey convener Sangharsh Samiti and Chairman All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) said that the campaign to wear black bands would continue till January 18, with a new schedule to intensify the movement.
Sangharsh Samiti leaders alleged that the privatisation process, initiated through the issuance of tender notices, is designed to work against the interests of employees. They said the RFP (request for proposal) document contains clauses that force employees to either accept private companies’ terms, take early Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) ), or risk unemployment.
“Privatisation will result in the loss of jobs for 50, 000 contractual employees and retrenchment of a large number of regular employees, ” said Dubey. He added that the RFP includes provisions for early VRS, hinting that private companies have no intention of retaining government employees.
UP Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti accused the power corporation management of using intimidation tactics to suppress dissent, such as suspending regular employees and terminating contractual workers. The corporation management is not following the order of the High Court's decision to solve the problems following the order given by the High Court on 05 November..
V K Gupta said that electricity is a service for a government sector company whereas it is a business for private houses. The government electricity companies of UP are providing electricity to farmers and common domestic consumers by incurring losses. On the other hand, private electricity companies work for profit. Farmers get free electricity in the government sector. As soon as privatization happens, the rate will increase abnormally.