Hyderabad: Power artisans call off strike

Hyderabad : The strike by the artisan staff in the State Energy department was called off unconditionally on Wednesday, a day after the management of power utilities terminated the services of 200 artisans. The union leaders held discussions with TS Transco and Genco Chairman and Managing Director D Prabhakar Rao and TSSPDCL Chairman and Managing Director G Raghuma Reddy. AIMIM Malakpet MLA Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala, who heads the Itehad Electricity Contract Employees Union, announced that the union has agreed to withdraw the strike unconditionally and join duty immediately.

According to Balala, the power utility managements had agreed to look into the demands of the artisans and resolve them at the earliest, and hence the union has decided to call off the strike. The management had also agreed to initiate the process of reinstating the 200 artisans whose services were terminated.

He added that his party would take up the issues of the artisans with the State government and try to ensure justice for them.

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 issued termination letters to 200 artisans who abstained from duties on Tuesday.

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