The contract workers serving the private power distribution company Southco are an exploited lot, according to Bijuli Sharmik Karmachari Ekata Manch (BSKEM). The union has alleged that the laws related to Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act are being violated during employment of these workers.
Speaking to newsmen in the city, leaders of the BSKEM also alleged that reduction of staff strength by the Southco was also a reason behind exploitation of contractual workers.
In 1999, there were 13 lakh power consumers in the State and the number of employees in power sector was around 42,000. At that time the region of south Odisha which is the operational area of private power distribution company Southco had 2,69,000 consumers and around 4,400 employees. At present the number of power consumers under Southco has increased to around 11,91,000 but the staff strength has got reduced to only 4000. Out of them around 1000 are contractual workers serving under outsourced companies, said OSKEM convener Rabi Narayan Acharya.
Mr. Acharya said these contractual workers were facing serious exploitation as some of them do not get weekly off, they get payment for 26 days while they work for 30 days in a month and the amount deducted from their salary towards EPF and ESI is not deposited in time. He also said that violating the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, the Southco authorities were not keeping any record regarding the contractual workers.
Although working in the power sector was a hazardous job, the company which has been outsourced to employ contractual workers for the Southco, was compelling the workers to sign a contract that they would not demand for any compensation in case of any accident. There was also no group insurance scheme for these contractual workers, said Mr. Acharya. “When these workers face any accident or death during their duty, the Southco easily shrugs off its responsibility saying they were not employees of the company,” he added. These workers have not been provided any identity cards. OSKEM leaders said most of the contractual workers do not have proper training to get involved in maintenance work at sub-stations and high voltage power distribution establishments. They felt increased cases of deaths and injuries of workers during work were due to it. They said the sub-standard equipments and including the ones meant for safety was also a reason for accidents. “Owing to dearth of staff at times a line man is being entrusted to look after power supply lines of around 20 to 40 km,” Mr Acharya said.
Retirement duesThe OSKEM also demanded Southco for payment of retirement dues to the retired employees which was getting delayed. They also wanted appointment of regular employees in adequate numbers so that exploitation of contractual workers would end.
