More than 10,000 contractual electricity workers from 26 districts have warned of a statewide work stoppage from November 6 if their demands are not addressed in writing, raising concerns for the workforce that supports Maharashtra’s power distribution network.
The Maharashtra Electricity Contractual Workers’ Union staged a statewide protest outside Mahavitaran’s Prakashgad office in Bandra and later held a second phase of its agitation at the labour commissioner’s office, according to a report published by Lokmat – Pune. The workers are seeking wage increases, employment security, pending financial benefits and action against alleged misconduct by contractors.
The union said its members would begin a “work stoppage movement” across Maharashtra from November 6 if they did not receive written assurances on their demands. The reported participation covered contractual electricity workers from 26 districts, indicating that the dispute extends beyond a single distribution division or local contractor.
The dispute has also brought the role of contractors in the electricity distribution system into focus. The workers have alleged that some contractors demand money from wages in the name of refunds and threaten employees with dismissal. The allegations were raised during the negotiations involving the union delegation and Mahavitaran officials.
Mahavitaran’s human resources director Rajendra Pawar instructed chief industrial relations officer Sanjay Dhoke to invite representatives of the union for discussions, the report said. The meeting covered the workers’ various demands and the allegations concerning contractors.
During the meeting, the administration said that complaints against contractors who allegedly collect money from workers under the pretext of refunds or threaten them with removal would be investigated. Contractors found responsible would face strict action and could be placed on a blacklist, according to the assurance reported by Lokmat – Pune.
The developments place the next stage of the dispute between the union and Mahavitaran. The workers’ stated condition is a written assurance on their demands before the proposed November 6 action, while the utility has opened discussions and outlined a complaint-based process against contractors. The available report does not establish whether the proposed work stoppage will proceed or how electricity distribution operations would be affected.
