Published On : Fri, Nov 13th, 2020

Electricity employees to go on strike on Diwali over bonus

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Nagpur: In a development that threatens dark Diwali, the employees of all three government-run electricity companies have warned of striking the work on Saturday, November 14 to press for their various demands including bonus and ex-gratia. The strike could cripple power supply during Diwali. All the 21 power unions have decided to participate in the strike.

On Thursday, a meeting between officials of Electricity Board and office-bearers of various power unions was held to discuss the issue of payment of bonus and ex-gratia. The authorities conveyed the power unions that this year the employees will not be paid the bonus and ex-gratia amount. Subsequently, the power unions threatened to go on strike from Saturday.

A senior employee and union office-bearer said the staffers had asked for bonus against their performance in 2019-20 but Energy Secretary Aseem Gupta refused to give any assurance regarding it. “In 2019-20, MSEDCL staffers had worked hard to collect Rs 82,000 crore revenue. The Discom had earned a profit of Rs 150 crore while Mahatransco had earned Rs 130 crore. In spite of this, the State Government refused to sanction Rs 120 crore for bonus to one lakh power employees,” he lamented.

The union leaders have asked all staffers including officers to gather in front of company offices at 8 am on Diwali and stage a dharna.