Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
On 24th June, thousands of electricity workers of Maharashtra held gate meetings at their work places. Though the main reason for the agitation is the pending wage agreement, it is important to note that at many places the workers also expressed their united opposition to various steps being planned by the Government of Maharashtra towards the privatization of electricity distribution.
For example, in Pune hundreds of workers of Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation, Subordinate Engineers Association, Power Sector Technical Workers Union(Union 1029), Maharashtra Rajya Veej Kamgar Mahasangh, Maharashtra State Power Workers Congress (INTUC), Maharashtra Rajya Magasvargiya Vidyut Karmachari Sanghatana gathered outside the Rasta Peth office. Apart from the pending age revision, they raised 4 demands all linked to the privatization of electricity distribution.
Comrade Bhimashankar Pohekar, Babasaheb Shinde, Suresh Jadhav, Kedar Relekar, Prashant Malwade and Sanjay Ghodke addressed the gathered workers. They expressed their united opposition to the Smart Meter scheme, restructuring of the Maharashtra Distribution company, plan of handing over electricity distribution in main cities to private franchisees and parallel electricity licensing policy. Hundreds of leaflets on Smart Meters were enthusiastically distributed. All present declared their resolve to oppose all privatization moves by the Government of Maharashtra. Electricity workers have declared their plan to hold many more gate meetings across Maharashtra.
