CHENNAI: Employees, engineers and retired staff of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) staged a protest on Thursday, pressing a range of long-pending demands, including the DMK’s “failed promises”.
The demonstration was held near the TNEB headquarters on Anna Salai, with members from the CITU-affiliated Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees (Cotee), TN Electricity Engineers Association and TN Electricity Board Retired Employees Welfare Association participating.
Among the key demands raised were immediate implementation of the Old Pension Scheme, filling of over 40,000 vacant posts without resorting to outsourcing, and withdrawal of GOs that unions allege pave the way for privatisation of the power utility. Protesters also opposed handing over the smart meter project to private agencies, stating that it would adversely affect both employees and consumers.
The unions also referred to DMK’s 2021 Assembly election manifesto, particularly Promise No 153, which assured regularisation of contract workers who have completed over 10 years of service in public sector undertakings and government agencies. Union leaders said that the assurance remained unimplemented, with a large number of contract workers continuing in the same status despite long years of service.
Addressing the media during the protest, Kannan, president of the workers federation, said, “Employees will wait till January for the government to resolve the issues. If the issues are not addressed within this period, the unions will intensify their agitation.”
Other demands included immediate payment of pending wage revision arrears, settlement of retirement benefits for pensioners, and direct disbursal of daily wages by the electricity board to contract workers instead of routing payments through contractors.
They also flagged unresolved issues in the medical insurance scheme and sought extension of gratuity and family welfare benefits on par with government employees.