Power sector: Ministry given 10 days to decide on charter of demands

FAISALABAD:

Water and Power Development Authority Hydro Electric Central Labor Union and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company Engineers Association on Friday gave 10 days to the Ministry of Water and Power to accept a charter of demands they issued the same day against privatisation of the power distribution companies.

The charter was announced at a gathering of FESCO employees. It includes abolition of plans to privatise distribution companies, removal of chief executive officers appointed to distribution companies without relevant expertise, measures to improve efficiency of power generation units and closure of rental power plants.

The charter also included demands for adequate security arrangements for field staff, a job quota for staff’s children and introduction of an honorarium for workers in areas having a 100 per cent recovery rate. Engineers Association president Ghazanfar Baloch said the ministry’s apathy had forced the employees to present the charter of demands. He said the ministry’s failure to accept the demands in 10 days would result in a country-wide protest drive that may include strikes.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2012.