Press Release of Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation (MSEWF)
We know that it is extremely difficult for contract workers in any enterprise to fight on their own, without the backing of permanent workers of the enterprise, for any of their rights due to extreme job insecurity. The capitalist owners and even senior managements of various government enterprises make full use of this insecurity and use contract workers to break strikes and other struggles of permanent workers. It is extremely important for the working class to refuse to accept such division between permanent and contract workers and fight unitedly in defense of the rights of the entire working class.
We are happy to share with all readers a press release received from Comrade Krushna Bhoyar, General Secretary of Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation (MSEWF), about a struggle waged by MSEWF for securing the rights of contract workers.
MSEWF is a union of permanent workers of public sector electric power utility of Maharashtra. In 2012, when Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (Mahavitaran) started the direct service recruitment process for the post of Technician and Machine Operator, MSEWF decided to take up the fight on behalf of contract workers and demanded that contractual workers of the Maharashtra Distribution Company be given priority in that recruitment. When Mahavitaran refused, MSEWF went to court in 2012. Finally, after 13 long years, the court awarded the verdict that recognizes contractual employees as regular employees.
It is extremely necessary to wage such united struggles in all enterprises.
Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation
Affiliate:-All India Trade Union Congress
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Date 10.12.2025 Newspaper Statement Mumbai
To,
Hon. Editor
Please cooperate by publishing the following news in your famous daily and news channel.
Contractual employees of Mahavitaran win in Thane Industrial Court after 13 years of long legal battle
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The direct service recruitment process for the post of Technician and Machine Operator was started in Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (Mahavitaran) in 2012. The Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation had demanded that contractual workers of the Maharashtra Distribution Company be given priority in that recruitment. The administration of the Maharashtra Distribution Company rejected that demand. Against that, the Workers Federation, through Comrade Datta Patil and Comrade Somnath Godse, filed a petition No.-100048/2012 in the Mumbai Bench of the High Court in the year 2012, demanding the permanent employment of thousands of employees working as linemen and machine operators on a contractual basis.
The Mumbai High Court heard this and other petitions together and transferred the case to the Thane Industrial Court for hearing. The hearing of this case had been going on in the Thane Industrial Court since 2012. In this hearing, Krishna Bhoyar, General Secretary of the Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation, filed an affidavit in the court on behalf of the organization, presenting the side of the contractual workers with strong evidence, along with the organization’s lawyer Advocate K.Y. Killedar. He himself was present in the court as a witness many times. The case was heard in the Thane Industrial Court for the last 12 years.
In the 13th year, the Thane Industrial Court awarded the verdict and sent it to the government. Due to this historic decision, the contractual employees in the court case have been recognized as regular employees. Due to this decision, they will get all the benefits applicable to the employees in the pay scale, promotion, allowances and service. The court has directed the Maharashtra Distribution Company to implement this important order compulsorily within the next 6 months. The court has clarified that all the rights of regular employees will be applicable to the employees from the day they complete 240 days after their entry. Also, the court has given an important warning that if the order is not implemented within the stipulated time, then the Maharashtra Distribution Company will be charged an annual interest of five percent on the outstanding amount from 28 September 2012.
This is a major success of the continuous struggle that has been going on for many years under the leadership of the Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation. The contract workers have won because the lawyer of the organization, K.Y. Killedar, presented a strong case in the Thane Industrial Court and argued well in the court. An indefinite agitation was held in front of the Prakashgad Bandra Mahavitaran office for 27 days in 2015 demanding that the contract workers in Mahavitaran, Mahanirmit and Mahapareshan be made permanent.
Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation President Comrade Mohan Sharma, General Secretary Comrade Krishna Bhoyar, General Secretary of the Contract Outsing Workers Cell Comrade N.Y. Deshmukh and Secretary of State Comrade Datta Patil and petitioner Somnath Godse have welcomed this historic verdict.
Yours faithfully
Comrade Krishna Bhoyar
General Secretary
Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation
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