SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, April 26: Power employees will go on a statewide agitation in support of their long-pending 18-point demand including a 6% special energy allowance at par with their counterparts in neighbouring state Bihar.
Jharkhand Rajya Bijli Kamgar Union (JRBKU), one of the frontal organizations of power employees of the state, has served the notice in this regard to the chairman cum managing director (CMD) of Jharkhand Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (JUVNL) Avinash Kumar informing that the employees will begin agitation from May 20 if their demands are not fulfilled.
JRBKU general secretary Ramakrishna Singh said that the notice of agitation has been served to management 15 days before the protest. If the state plunges in dark, JUVNL officers would be responsible for that.
“Patience of employees has run out. The management gives only assurance whenever employees launch an agitation for demand. But this time, it has been unanimously decided to fight for finish,” said Ramkrishna Singh.
Singh said the main demands of JRBKU are 6% special energy allowance to employees, up-gradation of graduate employees on 3rd grade (clerical post), revoking of mass transfer of employees and their return to the previous place among others.
The JRBKU general secretary said that his union will not include other employees’ bodies in the indefinite strike agitation as their leaders desert midway through the agitation. In the past, it has been witnessed that they participated in the initial stage but later walked out of the stir.