Ludhiana: PSPCL employees begin three-day mass leave in protest over unmet demands
PTC News Desk: Regular employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) below the sub-divisional officer (SDO) rank embarked on a three-day mass leave on Tuesday to press for their long-standing demands. Among their key demands are compensation and job provisions for the families of deceased workers.
This strike is the latest escalation in an ongoing protest, initially led by linemen, which has been underway for over a month. The workers began their agitation with a ‘work-to-rule’ strike from August 21 to August 31, during which they strictly adhered to an 8-hour shift, refusing to work beyond their mandated hours. Following the end of this period, the strike was extended until September 30.
On September 1, the protesting workers escalated their actions by surrounding the residence of Punjab’s Power Minister, Harbhajan Singh ETO. This action was part of a broader effort by 18 workers’ unions that have come together to push their demands.
According to Raghbir Singh, Additional Sub-Divisional Officer (Sunder Nagar Division) and chief organizer secretary of the Technical Service Union Punjab, the workers have been attempting to engage with the authorities for over a month. “We have been sending representations to the minister and other higher-ups. On July 31, we had a meeting with the minister, during which he accepted our demands in principle. He assured us that by August 15, the demands would be officially addressed. However, no such announcement has been made,” Singh stated.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, the workers, on August 18, sent a formal letter to PSPCL Chairman Baldev Singh Sran, warning that they would resort to a strike if their demands were not met. Despite this, no concrete action was taken by the authorities.
In response to the workers’ agitation, PSPCL assured them that their demands would be considered but also issued a stern warning about the consequences of continuing with the strike. PSPCL cautioned that any employee found absent from work, even for two hours, would face salary deductions for the entire day. Additionally, the company threatened to make entries of absenteeism in service records, which could result in delayed or canceled promotions for employees involved in the protest.
As the strike continues, the power sector in Punjab faces a challenging situation, with workers adamant that their struggle will go on until their demands are met.