Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
The Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited Progressive Workers Union (MeECLPWU) on August 29 began their first phase of agitation by wearing black badges.
As per the scheduled agitation, the employees will wear black badges from August 29 to 31 in all offices of the MeECL.
President of the MeECLPWU, Mantiphrang Lyngdoh, said that the demands of the union include regularisation of casual employees and release of salary arrears.
According to the members, these casual employees are working in the MeECL ranging from 10 to 30 years.
The Coordination Committee of Registered MeECL (employees’) Associations and Unions (CCORMAU) have lent their support to the union.
PK Shullet, member of the CCORMAU, said that the casual workers of the corporation also deserve to be paid like others in the MeECL.
Shullet said that due to inflation and rising cost of education the jobs of the employees should be regularised.
Another member of the CCORMAU, Arju Dkhar, informed that the contractual workers in the then Meghalaya State Electricity Board and now MeECL have been there since the late 1980s.
Dkhar informed that the total strength of the casual employees of the MeECL is around 2000.
He said that in 2018, the then chairman-cum-managing director of the MeECL constituted a committee to discuss with the progressive workers’ union.
“During these discussions between the two parties many issues were taken up and complied with by the management. The only thing left pending is the regularisation,” Dkhar said.
According to him, on the issue of equal pay for equal work, the management had told the union that there may be legal hurdles therefore they offered that those employees with over 15 years of service would be regularised.
However, at that particular point of time the union said that it would be better if the services of those with 10 years of service should be regularised.
At that time the committee said that since it has no authority to take any such decision, the matter will be taken up with higher authorities.
Dkhar said that things from then on did not move forward but again in February 2022, the CCORMAU discussed with the present CMD.
“These employees consist of 50 per cent of the work force and they are maintaining power supply giving their best to the corporation,” Dkhar said.
The CCORMAU in its wisdom offered that jobs of those with 12 years of service should be regularised.
Dkhar also offered to mediate between the two parties if there is a need.