Members of the PSEB (now PSPCL) Engineers' Association have decided to switch off their mobile phones on three Wednesdays in April as a mark of protest against the breaching of the tripartite agreement.
They have also extended the 'work to rule' strike till April 24.
Association regional secretary Gurpreet Sidhu said the association had decided that on April 2, 6 and 16, all engineers would keep their mobile phones switched off between 2pm and 5pm, adding that the government was compelling them to take such steps, and if any convenience was caused to public, only the government would be responsible for it.
Moreover, the association also extended its 'work to rule' strike till April 24. As part of the strike, which is on since March 12, association members are working from only 9am to 5pm.
The agitation is against the decision of the state government to give extension to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) chairman-cum-managing director (CMD), in violation of the tripartite agreement.
It is pertinent to mention here that recently the state government had extended the age limit of the CMD from 62 to 65 years. The association has conveyed strong resentment against the move which it claims was carried out without their consent and in violation of the letter and spirit of the tripartite agreement.
{{/usCountry}}It is pertinent to mention here that recently the state government had extended the age limit of the CMD from 62 to 65 years. The association has conveyed strong resentment against the move which it claims was carried out without their consent and in violation of the letter and spirit of the tripartite agreement.
{{/usCountry}}Association president Baldev Singh Sran said, “The tripartite agreement is also not being honoured in other issues, such as common seniority/cadre and difference in pay scales of employees, for which the association has been constantly approaching the government and the PSPCL for over a year. Instead, the government has violated its commitments and granted lower pay scales to newly recruited assistant engineers (AEs) in comparison to their older counterparts, which is illogical, unethical and unjustified.”