Sindh

Termination orders withdrawn: KESC volte-face - 4,300 reinstated

Talks with political parties conclude; recently sacked workers of the private company to be re-instated.

Irfan Aligi January 24, 2011

KARACHI:

The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) on Sunday unconditionally withdrew orders through which it had sacked 4,300 workers in one fell swoop.

The announcement was made by federal Water and Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf at a press briefing held at the Governor House.

The news sent the protesting throng at the KESC’s headquarters into a joyous rapture.

The minister brandished a letter before the media wherein the Karachi power utility’s chief executive officer has declared that it has taken back its decision for the retrenchment of 4,300 non-core workers it had made on January 19. However, he did not supply a copy of the letter to the media.

The minister said that the retrenchments had caused problems for the citizens. He said that the KESC management and workers should focus on improving their working relationship. He urged the reinstated employees to report for duty on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, MQM deputy convener Dr Farooq Sattar said that it was a result of the negotiating committee’s concerted efforts that the sacked KESC workers have now been reinstated.

He conveyed congratulations to the workers on behalf of MQM chief Altaf Hussein, MQM Rabita Committee and MQM labour division.

Soon after the press briefing, the nine-member provincial committee reached the KESC headquarters where the sacked KESC workers had been staging a sit-in for five days.

Addressing the gathering, Sindh Minister for Power Shazia Marri said that it was the unity of the workers that compelled the KESC and the government to ensure the retrenchments orders were withdrawn. She paid tribute to President Asif Zardari for taking immediate notice of the workers sacking.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed Siddiqui said that the workers’ struggle and unshaken confidence had resulted in their reinstatement.

He said MQM chief Altaf Hussein had said on day one that MQM would lead a movement for the restoration of the sacked KESC workers. Today, his words have proven to be true.

Sindh Minister for Katchi Abadis and Spatial Developments Advocate Rafique Engineer said that the sacked workers had compelled the government and all political parties to settle their issue according to their aspirations.

He said that the workers had established the fact that they can launch a movement and achieve success through their unity. Labour Union (CBA) chairman Akhlaque Ahmed praised the government for addressing the issue on a priority basis.

MQM Labour Division chief Nabeel Ahmed Khan and Peoples’ Workers Union general secretary Lateef Mughal congratulated the workers for scoring a grand victory in their struggle.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2011.

COMMENTS (24)

Hadi | 13 years ago | Reply Congratulation to All Workers of KESC. Agar koi greeb workers ko bojh samajhatta hay to yeh batian ke har roz kaam kartay howay kon marta hay.Jab se KESC private hoi hay Awam ko iss se kia faida howa hay? Kharbo rupay ka idara sirf 16 arab main kaisa baicha giya? Kia private honay se pahalay itni log shading howa karti thi? Kia awam ke bijli ke bill itnay aatay thay? Chand hazzar lanay walay worker bojh hain to KESC ka CEO jo ke 6500000/- lay raha,Besso Directors jo 600000/ lay rahain hain,Besso G.M jo ke 350000/- lay rahay hain,DGM jo ke 250000/- lay rahay hain Jab ke Managers jo 150000/- lay rahay hain woh kia bojh nahee hain? Agar Ship dobh raha ho tu Lakho lanay walo ko nikalna chahiye yah chand hazzar lanay walo ko nikalna chahiye? Kam se Kam worker ke baray main galat comments denay say pahalay KESC ko aakar tu daikho.

Azhar | 13 years ago | Reply @FF: First you come to field then comment on this issue. You are shareholder not Human

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Azhar | 13 years ago | Reply @hash: Do you know any labor law? Either company is privatized or government part? Get some clues about privatization. then comment like that.

Aristo | 13 years ago | Reply Now MQM has lost the right to take KESC to task in the forth coming season of extreme load shedding. Previously, the Governor Sindh used to ask KESC CEO to perform better continuously but now how can he do that. They have opted for cheap publicity rather than taking the bull by its horn. Nothing will ever get better this way

Mutahir Mahmood | 13 years ago | Reply Firstly, KESC is a privatized utility company. It was privatised in order to run efficient and turnaround and improve the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity for Karachi and its residents in order to restore its status of being the 'city of lights.' Therefore, the state intervening in a privatised company's matter is simply pathetic. However, since this company is privatized, we must give its management some benefit of doubt that the highly competent people with Western education are not as dumb as we perceive them to be. So here is my two cents on KESC's strategy. I believe this was part of a bigger plan. The management had already thought through their entire actions for this decision. Come on guys, face it ! firing 4000 workers in a single day is simply unheard of. The strategy was to sack them, get their costs figures highly publicized in the media, the sacked workers would protest, KESC would get a chance to highlight all their soaring cost issues and how the high expenditures are making the company run into trouble, the workers would ransack everything, the KESC would ask for public sympathy and in turn negotiate with the government that if the govt wouldnt allow KESC to cut down their costs through sacking 4000 workers, either give them subsidy or grants or reduce their other expenditures or clear their other outstanding bills ! Which the govt has no choice but to adhere to KESC in order to make it running into a smooth organization. So folks, KESC's well thought out strategy has been immaculately carried out. Kudos to the highly competent management for thinking through their course of action, playing with their union and employees and negotiating with the political parties. God bless KESC. God bless the city of lights. God bless Pakistan ! :)

fahad baloch | 13 years ago | Reply I agree wid Bilal, KESC is being criticized since very long for not performing well but when the management tries to take corrective actions, this happens with them.

nofil naqvi | 13 years ago | Reply So sick!!! now its never going to get better, great government we have to encourage useless people just like them to run things.

abdullah | 13 years ago | Reply RESIDENTS OF KARACHI GET READY 2 PAY THE COST OF THESE WORKERS .such a shame on ppp mqm that they can only interfere in such things...rest the whole pakistan is dying no on e cares about it all that was done was a political drama

Mahmood Shah | 13 years ago | Reply The Management should have stuck to their position!! This sets in motion a profoundly disturbing precedent as now it will be impossible to lay off people from other enterprises. Also wonder how KESC will ever reach profitability with soo much fat in the form of all these employees who seem to be more of thugs than productive workers! Bad Investment by Abraaj!!!

Ehsan | 13 years ago | Reply two words DEAD NATION

FF | 13 years ago | Reply PATHETIC! KESC needs to fire their CEO if he isn't prepared to work for the company. I don't give a damn as to what political pressure they were under. As a shareholder, I have a right to not being subjected to political favors!

Realist | 13 years ago | Reply Its due to trends like these that Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Airlines, Pakistan Steel are in shambles today. Over employment is eroding these important money making organizations. IDIOTS!

Zuhair | 13 years ago | Reply Jiye Altaf - Jiye Bhutto - now if your private employer sacks you just call nine zero or go to Bilawal house - pelt some stones on your employer's building - and you will be reinstated.

Ruqaiya | 13 years ago | Reply What utter nonsense. Why can't they just stick to good decisions for once? The reversal of the increase in oil prices was the first stupidity. This is the second one. Hope there's not a third one but knowing our country there will most certainly be one.

Muhammad Tariq | 13 years ago | Reply Very unfortunate decision. Those who dont work and play politics have let the private sector down. Question to be asked... With such a mentality of employees who broke the private property how they were sincere with KESC in the first place. Well, around the world the people get lay offs but haven't seen such instances in companies like HP, Ericsson, Dell etc. Why always we think of having things done negatively. The money and the damage should be recovered from the salaries of these reinstated employees. Also I presume they will never be loyal to KESC as most of them seems politically hired thats why all political groups were behind them.

hash | 13 years ago | Reply even though its a good thing that these people got their Job back, but if the government will intervene like this into KESC matter (which is now a private company), how will it make a profit which we expect it to?

Kazmis | 13 years ago | Reply KESC employees reinstated-congratulations. It is the time that all worker who were praying outside the office and all those who were on the job that KESC should become now productive institute otherwise demise of KESC will sink all. "Doodh dene wali gaye mir hi na jaye".

Usman | 13 years ago | Reply Just shows that private business in Pakistan cannot operate their businesses properly and efficiently and this local and federal government will keep holding back businesses this way and deter foreign investors. No foreign investor would want to operate in a country/city where they cannot make decisions for their own businesses. Shameful!!

Azhar | 13 years ago | Reply That is the power of workers. which actually come in front of Govenment

Tanweer Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Finally, the blackmailing powered by state power managed to bow down the KESC. Now the peoples representatives should not blame for poor functioning of the company. Rightly said Raja Pervez Ashraf that the PPP had opposed privatization of KESC, so that they could induct more and more non-working jiyalas into the company. How can one expect any developmental plan from a company forced to feed tens of thousand of non-productive (rather destructive) employees, if they can be called employees anyway. If the goverment had any intention to improve the state of affairs, they should have rather teken them to task for threatening to attack (probably blow up) the load dispatch center. Sorry Karachiets, your leaders will never allow you get a trouble-free electric supply. Rather they prefer the KESC to serve those blackmailers over the common citizens.

Nadeem Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Congratulations to KESC workers. They are not only successful in their own cause , they have blocked any future downsizing in any department. It was indeed a great effort and slap on those faces, who were blaming poor staff instead of misdeeds of higher management. If anyone thinks that by throwing some useless stuff in sea from sinking ship, they would have saved it, they are proven wrong.

Tanzeel | 13 years ago | Reply All hail to the MQM for intervening and resolving the issue peacefully.

Bilal | 13 years ago | Reply This is just pathetic! Then they blame the KESC management for not performing! KESC is a corporation, not a charity house! And this sets an amazing precedent for the future. When you get fired, make some noise, destroy some cars and youll get your way. Get some courage, stupid leadership.

@ibmlove | 13 years ago | Reply اسلام عليكم و رحمتله و بركاته men ne suna he ke jin logon ko nikala gea tha ye wo log they(hen) jo ghar bethe KESC se pay le rahe they. As we know many examples are there like Railways. I think is issue ko politicize kar ke govt ko majboor kia gea he wo in logon ko behaal kare.

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