Preparations in full swing for the protest rally by electricity employees against CPDL and the administration on October 19

Preparations in full swing for the protest rally by electricity employees against CPDL and the administration on October 19

Chandigarh 12 October ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : A 'gate meeting' was held today at the Sector 35 electricity office regarding preparations for the protest rally against the Chandigarh Administration and CPDL, scheduled for October 19 outside the Sector 17 electricity office. The meeting was addressed by Union President Amrik Singh, General Secretary Gopal Dutt Joshi, Senior Vice President Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu, Gurmeet Singh, Joint Secretary Harjinder Singh, and Varinder Singh, among others. Addressing the gate meeting, speakers strongly condemned the Chandigarh Administration and CPDL management. They alleged that the negative attitude of the Administration and CPDL has hindered the fulfillment of several demands: retaining the government status of employees deputed to private companies and adjusting them in other administrative departments; expediting pending promotions; canceling the examination mandated for the regularization of contractual employees and instead regularizing them based on seniority derived from their extensive experience with the company; appointing part-time staff to full-time positions; and implementing promotion scales and ACP (Assured Career Progression) schemes for the employees. 

Pending issues include the implementation of increments and immediate payment of arrears upon completion of the probation period; the provision of risk duty, shift duty, and electricity allowances for electricity workers based on the nature of their work; the arrangement of proper seating, drinking water, and stationery in offices; and the application of a 2% additional DC rate for contractual employees who have worked continuously for five years. These unresolved matters have sparked a wave of anger among the employees. The speakers noted that, on one hand, the Chandigarh Administration—acting illegally, unilaterally, and arbitrarily—transferred government employees to a private company without their consent, treating them like mere commodities, and then washed its hands of the matter, leaving them to fend for themselves. On the other hand, the company is treating these employees unfairly, adopting a stance of evasion and confrontation rather than addressing their problems and concerns. The nature of their work is being completely altered, and they are being subjected to harassment.

Speakers expressed deep concern and anger that retired officials from specific departments are being brought in to mentally harass the company's employees. It appears they have been hired solely to trouble and harass the staff. These officials—who were responsible for the department's deterioration during their tenure—are now harassing employees with their negative behavior and continuing to cause harm to the company. The speakers urged senior officials of the RPSG Group to immediately remove these corrupt retired employees.

The speakers noted that these demands had been discussed with the CPDL management on July 21, and the strike scheduled for July 22 was postponed following assurances of implementation. However, two months later, all demands remain unaddressed. The administration has halted promotions for regular employees, leaving vacancies that arose in February 2025 unfilled. The company has also reneged on its promise to retain contractual staff and is attempting to forcibly remove them by citing UPSC-level examinations. Despite a pending court case, employees are being threatened with dismissal and the withholding of promotions if they do not fill their posts. Union officials have urged all employees to participate in large numbers in the rally scheduled for October 19 in Sector-17.