Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
Power employees across Uttar Pradesh continued statewide protests against the proposed privatisation of two distribution companies and the mass removal of contract workers.
Mass protests were held on 3 February 2025 across districts, including Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Kanpur, and Jhansi. Uttar Pradesh Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti convenor Shri Dubey said that the agitation will continue throughout the week.
Shri Dubey said, “Over 1,200 contract workers have already been terminated, many not even meeting the official 55-year age criteria. The move could eventually put 20,000 jobs at risk.”
Many affected workers had served for years on meagre wages, some even becoming disabled in service. The Sangharsh Samiti leaders warned that after contract workers, permanent employees might also face retrenchment under pressure from private companies.
