Punjab: PSPCL staff begin three-day strike
The PSPCL responded by invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), issuing a warning of strict penalties. Under the ESMA, striking employees face possible termination, cancellation of promotions for those on probation and even imprisonment of up to three years along with penalties. The directive also states that contractual, work-charged, daily wage and contingent staff participating in the strike risk losing their jobs.
Junior engineers, linemen, clerks and other staff stopped work, creating major challenges for the department to maintain electricity supply.
Among the demands of the protesters were creation of new posts and filling of existing vacancies, increase in ex gratia amount, cashless medical facilities, release of pending allowances, clearance of overtime payments for grid substation staff and some cases of pension revisions, etc
Power minister Harbhajan Singh ETO appealed to employees to return to duty, noting that monsoon-related power faults were frequent during this season. He warned that the ongoing strike could disrupt services to lakhs of people and damage business operations. The minister urged unions to settle the issue through dialogue.
Later, the junior engineers's association decided to withdraw their mass leave and strike as the minister assured them to resolve their major issues.
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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: PSPCL staff begin three-day strike
Nearly 15,000 employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) across the state began their three-day strike on Monday, bringing a large part of the grievances redressal at halt and affecting supplies in some areas. Later in the day, the junior engineers's association decided to withdraw its mass leave and strike as Power minister Harbhajan Singh ETO assured them to resolve their major issues. The PSPCL responded by invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), issuing a warning of strict penalties. Under the ESMA, striking employees face possible termination, cancellation of promotions for those on probation and even imprisonment of up to three years along with penalties. The directive also states that contractual, work-charged, daily wage and contingent staff participating in the strike risk losing their jobs. Junior engineers, linemen, clerks and other staff stopped work, creating major challenges for the department to maintain electricity supply. Among the demands of the protesters were creation of new posts and filling of existing vacancies, increase in ex gratia amount, cashless medical facilities, release of pending allowances, clearance of overtime payments for grid substation staff and some cases of pension revisions, etc Power minister Harbhajan Singh ETO appealed to employees to return to duty, noting that monsoon-related power faults were frequent during this season. He warned that the ongoing strike could disrupt services to lakhs of people and damage business operations. The minister urged unions to settle the issue through dialogue. Later, the junior engineers's association decided to withdraw their mass leave and strike as the minister assured them to resolve their major issues.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
UT declares all PGI employment as essential
Chandigarh: UT chief secretary on Monday declared all employment at the PGI an "essential service," extending the Haryana Essential Services Act, 1974, to Chandigarh. The move prohibits any strikes by PGI staff. This is the first time the Act was invoked without an official strike notice from any union. The notification follows a 2024 public interest litigation (PIL) filed by PGI, which led to a Punjab and Haryana high court ruling on August 7 this year. The court noted that PGI services weren't previously declared essential under the East Punjab Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1947, yet it pre-emptively barred unions from future strikes or protests. The decision comes amidst an ongoing legal dispute with the PGI union president, Ashwani Munjal, who was banned from campus. The high court, while addressing Munjal's challenge, has permitted union activities only within their designated office space and explicitly forbidden any actions that would obstruct patient care or movement within the institute. According to Munjal, the recent court ruling and subsequent notification vindicate the union's decades-long position that ESMA was not previously applicable to PGI. However, he acknowledged the court's strict stance on protests, stating that any future demonstrations would be restricted to the institute's residential areas to prevent disruption of patient services. "The three decades old stand of union(s) that there is no notification imposing ESMA at PGI has been vindicated whereas PGI filed more than 6-8 CWP-PIL during 2018 to 2024 seeking orders to take action against leaders/staff under Section 6 & 7 ESMA, 1947/1968," said Munjal. He added, "The competent authority for PGI is the centre and not Chandigarh for invoking ESMA." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
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AAP govt will transform roads leading to all religious sites: Harbhajan Singh ETO
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