Over 10,000 power employees stage massive dharna over transfers

Over 10,000 power employees across Telangana staged a dharna outside the TGSPDCL corporate office in Hyderabad, protesting against the management’s unilateral transfer policies.

Hyderabad: More than 10,000 power employees from across Telangana on Tuesday staged a massive dharna outside the corporate office of the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) at Mint Compound, protesting against what they called the rigid and unilateral approach of the power utilities’ managements.

The protest was organised under the banner of the United Forum of Power Employees, comprising the Telangana Electricity Employees Joint Action Committee and the Telangana Power Engineers Joint Action Committee, to highlight long-pending issues faced by employees of State-run power utilities.

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Addressing the gathering, union leaders said the agitation was necessitated because of the management’s refusal to engage with employee unions on critical service-related matters, particularly the ongoing transfer process.

They demanded that the present transfer exercise be stopped immediately and that transfers be carried out only during June or July, in line with the long-standing practice.

The employees also sought revision of the mandatory transfer norms, demanding that the minimum service period be extended from the current two years to three years. Another key demand was that any transfer guidelines should be issued only after holding detailed consultations with recognised employee unions.

Union leaders warned that the agitation would be intensified as the management had failed to give any concrete assurance regarding their demands. They announced that protests would continue in front of the TGS­PDCL headquarters from Wednesday, while relay hunger strikes would be organised at the corporate office as well as district headquarters across the State.