200 railway workers support agitation

LUDHIANA: Nearly 200 employees of railways and various other labour unions lend their support to the two-day protest that started on Thursday by Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) workers against the government move to unbundle PSEB. Speaking about it, media secretary of Northern Railway Men Union, Mahinder Singh, said, “We are supporting the PSEB staffers in their agitation against the unjustified government announcement.”
In response to PSEB’s request to the railway authorities to help them with manpower during the period of strike, railway staffers were not ready to extend any help.
Giving details, divisional general manager of Ferozepur Division, Bishwesh Chaubey, said, “We were asked by the electricity department to assist them in running the operations during this time period. Responding to this, we agreed to send 12 workers to ensure uninterrupted power supply for consumers. From each station, we were supposed to depute four employees.”
However, the union was not ready to extend any support. Divisional secretary of Northern Railway Men Union, Daljeet Singh, said, “Yes, we received information that authorities were planning to send some of our employees to help the electricity board in smooth functioning during this strike. But we have directed our members not to assist the PSEB as we are absolutely in favour of the genuine demand put up by the board staffers.”
Meanwhile, various employee unions of the PSEB had earlier announced that they would strongly oppose the Punjab government’s action to unbundle the board. They said there would be no certainty on how issues related to the EPF, promotion policy, retirement benefits, balance pay revision, funds for unfunded liabilities and other benefits would be handled by the new companies post-unbundling.