PSPCL Employees Continue On Strike In Patiala

Thousands of state electricity corporation employees observed strike for the second consecutive day, while the management threatened disciplinary action. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) employees are gathered under the banner of the PSEB employees’ joint forum, which comprises various worker unions.

The PSPCL chairman and managing director, KD Chaudhri said that the employees participating in unjustified strike will face disciplinary proceedings, which will result in break in their service and the deduction of salary on the principle of ‘no work, no pay’.  In spite of the strike, the power supply is normal throughout the state, Chaudhri said. He regretted any inconvenience faced by the consumers because of incomplete official work. Not buckling under the management’s pressure, the employees responded to the worker unions’ call for massive statewide protests and boycotted office. The clerical and technical wing employees struck work on the second consecutive day.

Employee leaders Karamchand Bhardwaj, Jagtar Singh Uppal, Surinder Pehalwan, Harbhajan Singh and others charged the management with being anti-employee and pro-privatization. They accused it of lowering the staff strength, making irrational transfers, not releasing the arrears recommended by the pay commission, not revising pay scales, and not making new requirement in the PSPCL.

The protestor claimed that nearly 80% of the PSPCL staff was on strike and the protest could prolong. The forum leading the protest will meet on Sunday to plan further agitation.