PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug 6: Jharkhand Rajya Bijli Kamgar Union, the Left-supported union of JBVNL ( Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited) called off their statewide strike call in support of their various demands following an assurance from the management.
Over 4,000 JBVNL employees, across the state had threatened to go on an indefinite stir from August 9, under the banner of Jharkhand Rajya Bijli Kamgar Union.
They demanded payment of overtime which the employees are deprived of since 2013 and payment of six per cent energy allowance before Durga Puja.
Jharkhand Rajya Bijli Kamgar Union, the largest union of JBVNL is also against the state government’s decision to outsource maintenance and other services to private firms.
Senior functionaries of the union led by general secretary Ram Krishna Singh confirmed this after meeting Avinash Kumar, chairman-cum- managing director and other senior JBVNL officials in Ranchi on Friday.
“ The JBVNL authorities gave assurance to pay heed to our demands. We have therefore called off the indefinite strike from August 9, ” said Singh over the phone.
He said they also strongly oppose the government’s decision to invite a private franchisee for maintenance and meter reading job.
Notably, manpower shortage and the inability of staff to cater to line faults on time have forced JBVNL to hand over line maintenance to franchisees.
Notably, Jharkhand Rajya Bijli Kamgar Union had earlier spearheaded several strikes to press for their demands.
Office bearers and members of the union had also met in Ranchi yesterday to discuss their proposed strike.
“Apart from the payment of energy allowance and overtime, we have a 10-point charter of demands related to employee welfare,” said K N Singh, joint secretary of the union who stays in Jamshedpur.
Sources said the strike would have immensely disrupted the power supply in JBVNL serviced areas.
