Chandigarh powermen plan strikes against privatisation

The electricity department employees held a protest rally against the power privatisation move in Chandigarh

The power employees held a protest rally near the main office in Sector 17 on Tuesday, against the Chandigarh administration’s move to privatise the electricity department.

The Chandigarh powermen union decided to observe strikes on February 1 and February 23-24 against privatisation.

The members unanimously decided to observe a one-day strike on February 1 in all the shifts, and two-day strike on February 23-24. In case the administration privatises the department by then, they warned of going on an indefinite strike.

Union leaders Dhian Singh, Gopal Datt Joshi, Amrik Sigh Gurmeet Singh and Kashmir Singh condemned the Union government and Chandigarh administration for approval to hand over the department to Eminent Electricity Distribution, a Kolkata-based private company, without any protection of service conditions, pay scales, allowances and other benefits of the employees.

The union also decided to submit a hold rallies to the Raj Bhawan and in various sectors, markets and villages to highlight problems faced by employees and public in general in view of the privatisation.