Maharashtra: Workers of three power companies to go on strike

The strike has been called by an action committee of power company unions. Representation pic

Unions of three state-owned power companies in Maharashtra have warned of a 72-hour strike from Wednesday to protest against the privatisation of power companies, an official said on Tuesday. The strike has been called by Maharashtra Rajya Karmachari, Adhikari and Abhiyanta Sangharsh Samiti, an action committee of power company unions.

"More than 30 unions of drivers, wiremen, engineers and other employees have come together to thwart the attempt of privatisation in the state-owned power companies," Krushan Bhoir, general secretary of the Maharashtra State Electricity Workers' Federation said.

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The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (Mahavitaran), Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Co Ltd (Mahapareshan) and Maharashtra State Electricity Generation Co Ltd (Mahanirmiti) are the companies in question. Their employees have been staging agitations for the past two to three weeks, while on Monday, 15,000 employees had staged a demonstration outside the Thane collector's office, he said.

"Nearly 86,000 employees, officers and engineers of the three power companies, along with 42,000 contract employees and security guards will go on a 72-hour strike starting Wednesday to protest against privatisation," Bhoir said. One of the major demands of the protesting employees is that Adani Group's power subsidiary should not be given a parallel distribution licence to make profits in Bhandup, Thane and Navi Mumbai, he said.

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