Press Release of All India Federation of Electricity Employees (AIFEE)
(Translation of Press Release in Marathi)
All India Federation of Electricity Employees
Newspaper statement dated 12.02.2024, Mumbai
To,
Hon. Editors of Newspapers and News Channels
On February 16, lakhs of electricity workers will hold protests across the country against the central government’s anti-labour policies
The 16th National Convention of All India Federation of Electricity Employees was held on 10th and 11th February 2024 at Hyderabad. The convention was attended by 300 elected representatives of various unions from 28 states and union territories, from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. In this convention, several issues were discussed in depth, including the current situation of the power industry in the country, Electricity Amendment Act 2022, central and state government policies regarding government-owned electricity companies, franchisee system, discontinuation of parallel electricity distribution licensing policy, regularisation of contract and outsourced employees in power companies, enforcing equal wages for equal work as per the Supreme Court verdict, provision of social security, immediate filling of lakhs of vacancies in power industry, restoration of old pension scheme, generating more employment opportunities for youth, stopping privatisation of public sector in the country, and restoring the more than 100 labour laws that were repealed. After extensive discussions, the delegate session passed the following resolutions by a majority vote:
- Stop privatization of public sector enterprises in the country.
- Withdraw the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022.
- On 16 February 2024, workers will participate in the agitation called by the Central Trade Unions and Samyukta Kisan Morcha against the central government’s policies that are anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-unemployed persons.
- Re-employ 3000 contract workers who were fired in Uttar Pradesh.
- Regularize all contract/outsourced workers.
- Implement old pension scheme for electricity workers across the country.
- Immediately fill the sanctioned vacancies in power companies.
- Implement the Supreme Court verdict on equal pay for equal work.
- Protect the interests of electricity consumers by discontinuing the policy of installing smart meters for electricity consumers across the country.
In order to fulfil the above demands, it was decided that lakhs of employees, engineers, officers and contract/outsourced workers of All India Federation of Electricity Employees across the country will protest in front of the offices of electricity boards and electricity companies in the country on 12 March.
Yours faithfully,
Comrade Mohan Sharma, General Secretary
Comrade Krishna Bhoyar, Deputy General Secretary
All India Federation of Electricity Employees
