Kerala electricity workers call off indefinite strike after talks with minister
Kerala's electricity employees withdrew their planned strike after talks with officials addressed concerns regarding smart meters, worker transfers, reinstated leaders, and contract issues, securing government assurances to protect public sector status.
Kerala's electricity employees withdrew their planned strike after talks with officials addressed concerns regarding smart meters, worker transfers, reinstated leaders, and contract issues, securing government assurances to protect public sector status.
Kerala's electricity employees withdrew their planned strike after talks with officials addressed concerns regarding smart meters, worker transfers, reinstated leaders, and contract issues, securing government assurances to protect public sector status.
The Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI), Kerala unit, has withdrawn the indefinite strike scheduled to begin on November 2 following discussions with the Electricity Minister and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) management.
The federation had called the strike over the proposed Total Expenditure (TOTEX) model of smart meter implementation, employee transfers, the suspension of KSEB Workers Association leaders and issues faced by contract workers.
EEFI opposed the TOTEX model, arguing that it would impose an excessive financial burden on consumers and lead to the privatisation of the board's revenue wing. It demanded the continuation of the CAPEX-model smart meter project implemented by the LDF government, which it said was more cost-effective and would protect KSEB's public-sector status.
Following the talks, the Electricity Minister assured the federation that the government would not take steps to undermine the CAPEX-model project. Transfer orders for employees in the Workmen category will also begin to be issued shortly.
The two KSEB Workers Association leaders suspended by the Deputy Chief Engineer in Kollam have been reinstated, the federation said.
The minister also assured the federation that arbitrary dismissals of contract workers would be stopped. A special meeting of the Finance Wing will be convened to address issues related to the timely payment of bills to petty contractors.
EEFI said it would launch further protests along with other organisations in KSEB Limited if the assurances were violated.
The federation also thanked the workers' organisations and supporters who participated in sit-in protests outside the Deputy Chief Engineer's office in Kollam and Vydyuthi Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, as well as those who supported the proposed statewide strike.