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Breakthrough: Edhi intervenes to end KESC workers’ hunger strike

Workers say HR committee hasn’t contacted them, KESC says meeting on Monday.

Sohail Khattak May 19, 2011

KARACHI:

After 21 days of sitting outside the press club in the scorching sun, some of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) workers finally ended their hunger strike on Thursday.

The breakthrough came courtesy social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi who visited the workers at their camp and requested them to protest in some other way. “The government is not taking an interest in your issues and I cannot solve your problems, but I would appeal to you to end your hunger strike as the weather is very hot and the strike will only create physical problems for you,” he said.

His words made a difference and the resilient workers decided to end their hunger strike. They will, however, continue their sit-in until their demands are met. Edhi suggested the workers offer thanksgiving feasts as well.

At a news conference on Thursday, KESC labour union’s general secretary Haji Shahzad said that they have yet to be contacted by the newly formed human resource committee that the company’s CEO announced would settle the issue. “We have not received any letter or documents from the management about the committee. We only learned about it through the media.” The workers are ready to negotiate with the management, “even on a 30-minute notice”, he added.

Contrary to these claims, however, a statement was issued by KESC, saying that the five-member HR committee would sit down with the collective bargaining agent (CBA) at 4 pm on Monday, May 23, at the State Life Building.

KESC CEO Tabish Gauhar also invited the certified and law-abiding labour leaders to “sit down with the HR committee to find a solution that is based on ground realities and works in the interest of KESC, as well as the citizens of Karachi.”

Responding to allegations that the workers have given jobs to their relatives, Shahzad said that, “the recruitments were made according to the labour laws of the country”. He insisted that the workers were not responsible for frequent load-shedding in the city. “The KESC management has recruited unskilled people who don’t know how to handle technical faults.” He also accused the company of not paying PSO and failing to use furnace oil for electricity production.

Talking about the salaries of the workers, Shahzad said that the management’s claims were false. He rejected the claim that simple labourers were paid Rs70,000 and said that the management should check the pay slips again as they also includes welfare loans.

“It is not a crime if some of the workers are drawing salaries of around Rs40,000 in the time of an extreme price hike, after 36 years of service, while the management officers are drawing salaries in the millions,” said the general secretary.

with additional input from ppi

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (6)

Adeel | 13 years ago | Reply Edhi should have been our president...all the worries would have ended for Pakistan...Edhi is a saint!!

MAD | 13 years ago | Reply Abdul Sattar Edhi is a good man and may Allah bless him and his work. However I wish he wouldnt get into such matters. a bunch of workers on hunger strike for no valid reason (keep in mind they're getting paid salaries over and above what the market rate is to sit at home). They arnt dedicated to keeping KESC running. its all about overtime and the extra income they used to make through facilitation of electricity theft. In short if they wish to starve themselves to death let them. no sympathy as far as im concerned. Edhi Sb shouldnt waste his time with a bunch of thieves and hoodlums.

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Disco Molvi | 13 years ago | Reply @Ayesha: Amen. Abdul Sattar Edhi, the epitome of Humanitarianism (Haqooq ul Ibad)

Ayesha | 13 years ago | Reply Allah Bless Albdul Sattar Edhi!

Yasir Khokhar | 13 years ago | Reply KESC is not an NGO any more. I know lying off so much people would create problems for already inflation and terrorism fighting people of Karachi. But do u you think that recruiting more then required would make electricity cheaper? That would put burden on the company, and the same would once again be transferred to us. So ultimately our loss. Let KESC function like a private organization and only then you can demand improved service and may be at cheaper rates. For now The PING PONG between labor Union and KESC has made our life miserable. The union guys disconnect line and don’t allow the KESC people to fix it, in an attempt to teach lesson to KESC. And on the other hand KESC doesn’t put in much effort to resolve the issue, so the people of Karachi may know its Union labor to be blamed and they take action against the Union people themselves. Simply both playing at the cost of our sufferings.

Asim | 13 years ago | Reply I understand the workers plea but intentionally sabotaging the electric grid so that the common man is effected is not acceptable. I know of people personally who don't have electricity for 10days as this union is not letting the genuine workers do their job. On Wednesday as I was going back to office residents came on the road with their sticks to close the lights of my car otherwise they will break the windows of my car. If the KESC union handles its affairs in this manner that a common goes crazy without electricity for days with no fault of theirs then I am with KESC management. Let the unions go on strike, LET US SEE FOR HOW LONG, if we have to suffer lets us SUFFER once and for all and resolve this issue, ONCE AND FOR ALL.

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