Amid growing unrest within the power sector workforce, assistant linemen recruited in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) after July 2020 on Friday demanded implemention of ₹35,400 basic pay under the sixth pay commission and redistribution of technical staff from offices to field duties, alleging severe workload imbalance and unsafe working conditions.
The demands were raised during a meeting held at the Sundar Nagar division in Ludhiana, where assistant linemen discussed on ground problems and accused the department of placing ‘unfair and excessive burden’ on the newly recruited staff.
The meeting was attended by PSEB employees federation AITUC state secretary Gurpreet Singh Mahidudan and division president Bahadur Singh Luhara. The employees alleged that despite organising protests and agitations in the past, their long-pending demand for ₹35,400 basic pay was not being strongly pursued before the government and PSPCL management.
They also raised concerns over alleged exploitation at division and sub-division levels and claimed that technically qualified staff posted in offices should be instead deployed in field operations to reduce pressure on field workers and junior engineers. Assistant linemen further alleged that employees not legally authorised to work on high-tension (HT) lines were at times being forced to perform such duties, posing a serious risk to their lives.
“If technically qualified line staff working in offices are shifted to field duties, it will reduce excessive workload on field employees and provide relief to junior engineers already working under immense pressure. Better staff distribution will also improve consumer services,” employees said during the meeting.
{{/usCountry}}“If technically qualified line staff working in offices are shifted to field duties, it will reduce excessive workload on field employees and provide relief to junior engineers already working under immense pressure. Better staff distribution will also improve consumer services,” employees said during the meeting.
{{/usCountry}}The workers also urged PSPCL authorities to stop assigning HT line work to assistant linemen during probation, terming the practice illegal and unsafe. Addressing the gathering, Gurpreet Singh Mahidudan said the joint forum of power employees had already been raising the demand for ₹35,400 basic pay and assured the employees that their concerns would be taken up before the electricity unity platform and PSPCL management.
He also backed the demand to shift technical employees from offices to field operations and said a delegation would meet the XEN of Sundar Nagar division on Monday regarding the issue. Mahidudan appealed to assistant linemen to submit their demand charter to the joint forum and unity platform so their issues could be prioritised during future negotiations with the government.
He also urged employees to strictly observe the ‘work-to-rule’ protest reintroduced from May 21 and participate in the proposed protest outside the chief minister’s Sangrur residence on May 24. The unions have also announced preparations for a larger strike on June 17 and 18 over pending demands and service-related issues.