The J&K Electrical Employees Union (JKEEU) on Friday said it will go ahead with the indefinite strike program from July 8 against unbundling of the department.
Addressing a press conference here the Union said unless theGovernment “gives us in writing to address our demands”, it will not withdrawthe strike program.
“Two years back the Department assured us that if Governmentmakes any move vis-à-vis unbundling, they will take us on board. Now they aresilently going for unbundling which will end up affecting us in many ways. Wehave already communicated to higher officials that if any concrete step was nottaken vis-à-vis our demands we will not call off the strike program,” saidMohammad Maqbool Najar, President JKEEU, here.
The Union has openly voiced its opposition to unbundling ofthe Department in the past. Besides, it has been demanding regularization ofadhoc employee, salary to daily wagers, risk allowances for employees andcreation of posts in Power Development Corporation.
“Today we had a meeting with higher officials in theGovernment but they are not ready to move beyond verbal assurance. We have beenhearing such assurances from years now,” Najar said.
The Union members said that despite working in high riskconditions they were not getting any risk allowance like other department ofthe state. It said promotion of around 2000 employees is also lingering on forpast many years.
In the last six months, the Union said, 12 of theiremployees died while 10 were disabled in accidents while performing theirduties.
“In other departments which are not risk prone, there isfull-fledged risk allowance for employees while our department is not botheredto work for ensuring safety of its employees,” said one of the Union members onsidelines of the press conference.