TS power utility employees strike: 200 artisans terminated from service

The Telangana Vidyut Employees union and Ittehad Electricity Contract Employees union had served a notice to go on strike from Tuesday in support of six demands for artisans in power utilities

Hyderabad: Launching a crackdown on artisans who went on strike in various power utilities in the State, the management on Tuesday terminated the services of about 200 artisans while others have been warned to resume duties by Wednesday morning, failing which they would also face termination.

The Telangana Vidyut Employees union and Ittehad Electricity Contract Employees union had served a notice to go on strike from Tuesday in support of six demands for artisans in power utilities. There are about 22,500 artisans working in power utilities.

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Meanwhile, TS Transco and Genco Chairman and Managing Director D Prabhakar Rao said there was no effect on power supply in the State due to the strike. The power utilities management made alternative arrangements in view of the call given by the unions and took necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply across the State, he said.

According to Prabhakar Rao, all the artisans working in Genco and Transco attended their duties, whereas about 80 percent of them working in discoms were present.

Despite an agreement signed on April 19 by the trade unions before the Joint Commissioner of Labour under the Industrial Disputes Act, the artisans deciding to go on strike was illegal, he said and warned that if those who did not appear for duty on Tuesday, again failed to report on Wednesday as well, they would be terminated from service.

The power utilities had declared the strike illegal and invoked the Telangana Essential Services Maintenance Act of 1971, asking the artisans to stay away from the strike. The management also warned that stringent action would be initiated against those who take part in the strike.

The Telangana Vidyut Employees union gave the strike call citing six demands, including implementation of APSEB service rules, 50 per cent PRC, 35 per cent PRC for newly-appointed artisans and recognition of all workers with identity cards as artisans.