A strike by contractual/outsourcing employees of Tata Power Southern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPSODL) at Brahmapur entered 187 days on Sunday, but the company was yet to positively respond to their demands.
The agitating employees are reportedly sitting on dharna under the banner of Odisha Electricity Workers’ Association in front of the TPSODL’s office at Brahmampur. In 2018, the State Government had promised the 200 outsourced employees for regularisation of their jobs and without fulfilling its promise, the Government had allegedly handed them over to the TPSODL that led to the unrest.
The agitating employees are now alleging that, the company, instead of fulfilling the promise made by the Government is mounting pressure on them to work under a new contractor which is unjust and uncalled for.
Meanwhile, vice-president of Hind Mazdoor Sabha State Council Rabi Rath has written a letter to the Chief Minister on Friday requesting to give justice to the agitating employees of TPSODL.
TPSODL sources, however, claimed that the Tata Power has sympathy for all its employees and has done Rs 20 lakh insurance for each of its employees. All the employees (except those who are on dharana and not working/not performing their duties), are being paid their salary; hence the allegation that the salary has been stopped is not true, it said.
The TPSODL sources also said that it has already advertised for certain positions exclusively for its internal workers.
