Privatisation row: Power staff continue stir, allege mass removal of contractual workers
The meeting, held Sunday night, was addressed by Shailendra Dubey. He detailed the ongoing developments related to power privatisation and the employees’ agitation.
Power employees across Uttar Pradesh continued statewide protests against the proposed privatisation, alleging mass removal of contract workers to clear the way for private companies.

“Over 1,200 contract workers have already been terminated, many not even meeting the official 55-year age criteria. The move could eventually put 20,000 jobs at risk,” Uttar Pradesh Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti convenor Shailendra Dubey said.
Samiti leaders called the terminations inhuman, arguing that many affected workers had served for years on meager wages, some even becoming disabled in service. They warned that after contract workers, permanent employees might also face retrenchment under pressure from private firms.
“On Monday mass protests were held across districts, including Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Kanpur, and Jhansi. The agitation will continue throughout the week,” Dubey said.
Meanwhile, various national federations, including those from the railways, defense, postal, and education sectors, have extended their full support to Uttar Pradesh power employees protesting against proposed privatisation, All-India Power Engineers’ Federation (AIPEF) claimed here on Monday.
In an online meeting organised under the banner of the All India Forum Against Privatisation, the representatives from multiple central federations pledged solidarity with UP’s power sector employees.
The meeting, held Sunday night, was addressed by Shailendra Dubey. He detailed the ongoing developments related to power privatisation and the employees’ agitation.
Mohan Sharma, general secretary, AIPEF highlighted large-scale privatisation being pushed under the guise of prepaid meters.
“The meeting witnessed participation from C Srikumar, general secretary of the All India Defence Employees Federation, Inder Singh Badana, national secretary of the All India Road Transport Workers Federation, JN Shah, vice president of the All India Loco Running Staff Association, Sampat Desai, national president of Shramik Mukti Dal, Vijay Kumar Bandhu, president of the National Movement for Old Pension, and Reena Tripathi, national president of the Women’s Wing of Sarvajan Hitaya Sanrakshan Samiti,” Dubey said.
“All of them declared their strong opposition to power privatisation and assured support for UP’s protesting electricity employees,” he claimed.
Dr A Mathew, convener of the All India Forum Against Privatisation, stated that a national-level strategy for backing UP power employees would be finalised in the next meeting of major trade union federations. He warned that any repression against the protesting employees in UP would trigger a large-scale agitation at the national level.
