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Ludhiana: PSPCL employees oppose power bill, 4 labour codes
They alleged that smart meter installation and the sale of government land were part of a larger privatisation push
Opposing the proposed electricity amendment bill, privatisation of the power sector and the implementation of the four new labour codes, workers from various unions held a protest outside the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited’s (PSPCL) Sunder Nagar division and Janata Nagar division office on Gill Road on Monday.
The demonstrators, led by the PSEB Employees Federation (AITUC), Powercom and Transco Contract Workers’ Union and the Moulder and Steel Workers’ Union, burnt copies of the electricity amendment bill and the four labour codes, alleging that the Centre and state governments were pushing “anti-people and anti-worker” policies.
Union leaders Surjit Singh and Harjinder Singh said the protest was held in response to a call by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and several Powercom employees’ organisations against the “complete privatisation” of the electricity board and the sale of public assets to private companies.
They said the implementation of electricity bill would end free and subsidised power for poor rural and urban households, raise tariffs for small industries and commercial users, and worsen the crisis already faced by farmers and industrial workers.
The leaders further alleged that smart meter installation and the sale of government land were part of a larger privatisation push that would ultimately benefit private corporations at the cost of public welfare.
They also criticised the four labour codes, stating that these would dismantle long-standing labour rights related to job security, the eight-hour workday, living wages, workplace safety, pensions and trade union protections.
The unions warned that if the government did not withdraw these legislations and restore workers’ rights, they would intensify their agitation in coordination with farmers and other worker groups.
